Inspiration

Everyone in the World Is Drinking Less Alcohol—Except Americans

The craft beer movement may explain why the United States is bucking global trends.
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According to new research released by Euromonitor International, worldwide consumption of alcoholic beverages declined by 0.7 percent in 2015. It’s the first time the firm has tracked a decrease in global alcohol sales since it began monitoring figures in 2001. Ukraine recorded the biggest decline worldwide, buying 17 percent less alcohol in 2015 than it did in 2014. China, which represents the world’s largest alcoholic drinks market, saw a decline of 3.5 percent. But not everyone is buying less booze.

North America is the one notable exception. In 2015, the U.S. bought 30.6 billion liters of alcohol—up from 29.8 billion liters in 2014. Compared to other continents, North America has had a stronger economy. The popularity of microbreweries and the craft beer movement has given alcohol sales a big boost in the states, too, said Euromonitor International’s senior alcoholic drinks analyst Spiros Malandrakis.

“While terms such as authenticity and craftsmanship are losing traction, the trajectories of sophistication, moderation, perceived exotic credentials, accessibility and restrained yet grounded aspirational attributes remain the key driving forces fuelling pockets of buoyancy,” says Malandrakis.

Across the globe, people are looking for more premium quality, complex spirits—even if they’re drinking less. Sales of tequila and mezcal grew to about 275 million liters in 2015 from about 263 million liters in 2014, and sales of bourbon and other U.S. whiskey grew to 335 million liters from 322 million liters. Sales of cognac grew to almost 104 million liters from about 99 million liters. Global sales of wine grew to 27.9 billion liters from about 27.4 billion liters.

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Angel's Share, New York, NY
“I absolutely love The Easter Gibson at Angel’s Share in Manhattan’s East Village. It’s made with AO Japanese Rice Vodka, Junmai Daiginjo Sake, Rakkyo onion, and thin sliced cucumber. The fact that you need to go through a Japanese restaurant called Village Yokocho, climb a set of stairs, and know to look for a nondescript, unmarked wooden door to enter makes it pretty cool. Inside, the drinks are made with a unique Japanese precision and sensibility that separates it from the rest of the New York speakeasy crowd. It has a special place in my heart as I used to take my wife Becky there on dates.”—Chris Cannon, owner of Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen in Morristown, New Jersey

Whiskey in the U.S. is experiencing one of its biggest growth periods in history. According to state revenue data and the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, Kentucky bourbon production increased 44 percent over the past year—filling 1.9 million barrels in 2015, an all-time high over the last 48 years.

So what aren’t people drinking nowadays? Sales of vodka fell to about 3.2 billion liters in 2015 from about 3.3 billion liters in 2014, and sales of rum fell to 1.36 billion from about 1.38 billion liters. And despite losing market share, vodka is still the world’s most consumed spirit.

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