The State That Drinks The Most Alcohol Is Also One Of The Smallest

Nestled on the East Coast, New Hampshire is well known for its beautiful fall foliage, Dartmouth College, and pristine nature. No one tends to associate this tiny state with heavy drinking. However, despite being the 5th smallest state by area and 10th smallest by population (via Britannica), New Hampshire takes first place for consuming the most alcohol per capita in the nation.

This statistic refers to the alcohol category overall, including beer, wine, and spirits. There are more details behind the data reported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), though: Not all of this alcohol may necessarily be consumed in the state. New Hampshire does not have a sales tax and charges a small flat fee on alcohol purchases, so some of these purchases may be from consumers driving over the border from neighboring states to stock up on better deals. It's also impossible to track how much liquor is actually consumed per individual person; rather, this data adds up liquor sales, which are then divided by the state's population. 

The meaning of "per capita" is important here. In this example, it refers to the amount of alcohol drank on average per person in a given year. Of course, states with larger populations drink more alcohol overall. For example, California took the No. 1 place for the total largest volume of alcohol consumed, which makes sense considering its massive population of over 39 million people. 

Based on the NIAAA data, people in New Hampshire prefer beer over spirits or wine. In 2021, it also ranked No. 1 for the most beer consumed per capita. The most popular beer in the New England state is Corona Light, a Mexican lager. If you're not a fan of the brand, though, the state is also home to 90 independent breweries. One such craft brewery in the state, Portsmouth Brewery, won best beer in America in 2007 for its strong imperial stout beer named "Kate the Great." 

While wine is not as popular as beer in the state, New Hampshire still ranks third in the nation for consuming the most wine per capita, per the NIAAA. Wine is produced in the state, which typically grows unique grape varieties that are more resistant to cold, like La Crescent (a white) and Frontenac (a red). However, New Hampshire's state drink is apple cider, notably distinct from apple juice. The boozy version of this classic fall drink, hard apple cider, is definitely worth trying at a local cidery.

Although situated quite far from Mexico, New Hampshire's cocktail of choice is a classic margarita. If you're in the mood for something a bit more exotic, though, try one of the strange cocktails that WOKQ, a local radio station, claims may have been created in New Hampshire. Perfect for a chilly East Coast winter night, "The Farmer's Wife" blends apple cider and caramel-flavored vodka, while the "Drunk Rudolph" is a combination of hot chocolate with a shot of Fireball whisky.