How do American beer drinkers discover new types of alcoholic beverages?

Key findings:

• Beer is the most commonly consumed alcohol type among American adults who drink, with 35% saying it is the alcoholic drink they consume most often.
• Americans who drink beer most often are more likely than those who most often drink other alcohol types to discover new alcoholic beverages through advertising (37% vs 29%).
• Word of mouth remains the most common source of information overall, regardless of preferred alcohol type.

Beer drinkers are America’s most prevalent alcohol consumer, with 35% of Americans aged 21 or above saying they consume it most often. But what inspires beer drinkers to try new brands? New YouGov Profiles data reveals which channels are most effective in 2026.

Beer is the most commonly consumed alcohol type among American drinkers aged 21+

Among American adults aged 21 or over who drink alcohol, beer is the alcoholic beverage consumed most often.

More than one-third (35%) say beer is the type of alcohol they drink most frequently, putting it comfortably ahead of liquor (24%) and wine (23%).

Hard seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails each account for 6% of drinkers' preferred alcohol type, while hard cider (3%) and infused liquors (1%) make up relatively small shares.

Americans who drink beer most often are more likely to discover new alcoholic beverages through advertising

With major alcohol brands continuing to launch national campaigns around sporting events and seasonal occasions, advertising remains an important channel for Americans to discover new alcoholic beverages.

Among Americans who say beer is the alcohol they drink most often, advertising plays a bigger role in discovering new alcoholic beverages than it does among those who drink other types of alcohol most often.

More than one in three (37%) beer-first drinkers say they discover new alcoholic beverages through advertisements, compared with 29% of those who primarily drink liquor, wine, hard seltzer, ready-to-drink cocktails, hard cider or infused liquors.

Beer-first drinkers are also slightly more likely to discover new products through in-store displays (36% vs 32%) and websites (12% vs 10%).

Despite these differences, word of mouth remains the leading source of information for both groups, cited by 45% of those who drink beer most often and 49% of those who primarily drink other alcohol types.

Methodology: 

YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between June 2025 and June 2026, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in the US and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.

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