Wine over beer: Does it add up?
Still trying to make sense of a recent survey that shows people say they drink wine more ofen that beer since beer sales far surpass those of wine:
The Gallup survey found that 63% of Americans drink alcohol, and that 39% of them say they drink wine more often than any other alcoholic beverage. Beer drinkers account for 36% with spirits drinkers making up 21%. Last year the numbers were reversed, with 39% preferring beer and 33% wine. In 1992, only 27% said they drank wine on a regular basis.
It is hard to believe the poll when you consider consumers spent $82 billion on beer in 2004 and $23 billion on wine. You could argue that people who drink beer also drink more, but a difference of 3.5 times seems a bit much.
The may may, however, reflect beer’s image problem. Some people would rather say they drink wine because of the ways it sounds. One story on the subject referred to this as the “Sideways” effect.
