In this article, we are going to discuss the top 5 alcohol drinking countries in the world. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the origin of alcohol and its religious importance, the global alcohol industry and the market leader, a new entrant in the alcohol industry, and the global shifts in the global alcohol market, head to Top 20 Alcohol Drinking Countries in the World.
5. Germany
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 12.22 liters
Germany is the birthplace of the iconic lager beer, which originated in Bavaria in the 1400s and then spread all around the world. In fact, beer has always been such an important part of the local culture that in 1516, the Bavaria Duke Wilhelm IV issued the ‘Reinheitsgebot’, a beer purity law that stipulates that only water, barley and hops were allowed to be used as key ingredients for beer. The country exported $1.38 billion of the alcoholic beverage in 2021, making it the 4th largest exporter of beer in the world. Jägermeister is Germany’s most popular alcoholic drink after beer.
4. Latvia
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 13.09 liters
Latvia has one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption by any country in 2023. Alcohol started to become a problem in the Baltic country in the 15th and 16th centuries when breweries and distilleries began to pop up all over the country. In November 2022, Latvia tightened rules on drunk driving to make it a criminal offense, rather than punishing drunk drivers by just taking away their driving licenses.
3. Czech Republic
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 13.29 liters
Beer, and the drinking thereof, is so deeply ingrained in the Czech culture that the beer industry is considered a part of the national heritage. Pilsner Urquell, brewed exclusively in the city of Plzeň, is one of the Most Imported Beer Brands in the World. In 2016, the Tokyo-based Asahi Group Holdings agreed to a $7.8 billion deal with Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) for the purchase of several European beer brands, including Pilsner Urquell, Lech and Tyskie.
2. Georgia
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 14.33 liters
The wine-drinking culture sets Georgia apart from other post-Soviet countries, where people prefer to drink spirits. Wine is associated with cultural and religious traditions in the Caucasian country, while beer is secondary and holds no ritualistic connotations. In fact, Georgians only toast with wine or vodka, and beer is used to toast only if you wish someone bad luck.
Georgia is home to more than 500 grape varieties and over 280,000 tons of grapes were processed in the country in 2020, quite a large production volume for a country with a small domestic consumption base. The former Soviet republic is one of the Top Alcohol Drinking Countries in the World.
1. Romania
Per Capita Consumption of Alcohol: 16.99 liters
Men in Romania are the heaviest drinkers in the world, with a per capita consumption of 27.3 liters of pure alcohol in 2019, or an average of 8.2 drinks per day. The most consumed alcoholic beverage in the Eastern European nation is beer, preferred by one third of the consumers. However, the market for spirited drinks has exploded and reached around $800 million in the country. Romania is the Country that Drinks the Most Alcohol in the World.
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