People In This State Can Drink The Most Beer

How we love you, beer. From heady stouts to crisp IPAs to strong ales, we love to partake in the occasional frosty brew. And we're not alone: Americans drink an average of 28.2 gallons of beer per person per year (via Beer Info). As food lovers, how could we not partake? Beer goes so well with some of our favorite indulgences, from a cheeseburger and fries to a crisp slice of pizza to finger-licking barbecue.

That latter category of food — barbecue — is a classic pairing with a cold brew. That might help explain the connection between the state of Texas and beer. While the nationwide average intake of beer is 28 gallons per person, as mentioned above, everything's bigger in Texas, as they say. Texans exceed the average, gulping down 34.4 gallons per person, perhaps as an accompaniment to their fine BBQ offerings such as beef brisket and pork ribs (via Beer Info). Out of the 50 states, Texas comes in ninth in annual beer consumption, and perhaps due to all the practice they have, Texans can drink more beer before feeling tipsy than any other citizens countrywide.

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and this truism seems to apply to a variety of Texan traits. As mentioned above, Texans love their beer, consuming about six more gallons each year than the average American (via Beer Info). And perhaps because of all that suds-drinking, inhabitants of the Lone Star State have developed a higher tolerance for beer, as well.

According to a 2021 survey conducted by Upgraded Points, Texans can pound a whopping 5.17 half-liter beers before feeling tipsy. The website asked 2,000 Americans about their beer-drinking habits, with Texans coming in as apparently having sky-high tolerance. On the flip side, Oregonians are lightweights, with respondents from that state claiming that an average of just 1.92 beers gives them a buzz. Generally, southern states are able to put away more brews than their northern counterparts, and millennial males have a higher tolerance, taking in 3.93 beers before feeling the effects, while the national average among all groups is 3.49 beers.

We've always been told not to mess with Texas. And now that we know how much beer its citizens can drink, we won't challenge any of them to a drinking contest, either.