BEER TOPS GALLUP POLL

Americans are making a backlash, it appears, and returning to beer. In Gallup’s 2006 survey, 41% of American drinkers claimed they drink beer most often, while 33% and 23% chose wine and spirits. Why the change of heart? Last year wine barely trumped beer for the first time, leading the poll at 39% to beer’s 36% as the most popular drink. It seems that while beer is still the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, wine is the fastest growing segment especially among younger drinkers.

While last year’s results may have just been a statistical variance, it could also represent a short-lived phenomenon influenced by the low-carb craze and consumers buying into the “cool factor,” also known as trading up. The rise in imported and craft beers are changing that, though, and giving consumers another venue in which to trade up along with premium spirits.