Get government out of your beer: How beer taxes make your drinks cost more
You’re getting ready for a Tennessee Titans tailgate in Nashville.
You get the car ready. You order some food. You buy some beers.
During the game you’re a Hall of Fame armchair coach who always knows which play should be called.
What you probably won’t think about is that — thanks to the government — the beers you are drinking cost you more than they should.
Thanks to the government’s appetite for taking more of your hard-earned money, your beers are more expensive.
In Tennessee, people pay $1.29 per gallon — just in state excise taxes for beer, and Tennesseans are not the only ones paying high taxes.
In all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Americans pay a hefty tax when drinking their favorite beer.
Americans pay dearly for their beer
To make matters worse, Americans don’t just pay a tax for their drink; taxes are actually the most expensive ingredient in their beers — by a great deal.
How much more?
According to a study from the aptly named Beer Institute, taxes make up a whopping 40% of the price of your beer. When you buy an $8 six-pack, you are putting $3 straight into the pockets of state and federal governments.
But it doesn’t end there.
Many state governments tax beer based on the alcohol content, or alcohol by volume (ABV), in a pint; others apply an extra tax based on where the beer was bottled or sold. In some states, governments cap the amount a local brewery can sell.
What’s more, the federal government charges a national excise tax for every bottle of beer produced here in America.
Who pays for those excessive beer taxes? You do.
To make ends meet, brewers, distributors, and retailers are forced to pass these additional costs on to you.
Highest beer taxes in the country, by state
While all Americans pay beer taxes, not all taxes are created equal.
Some states charge much more than others.
The map below shows how much you pay in state taxes for your beer.
You can look at the full map and data from the Tax Foundation right here: https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-beer-taxes-2024/
If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, Kentucky, South Carolina, or Tennessee, I’m sorry to tell you’re in the top 5.
And let’s not forget, thanks to government reckless spending, you’re already paying over $11,000 more each year for basic necessities like food, gas, and housing.
The last thing you need is for the government to make your beers more expensive. Americans need more money in their pocket, not more taxes on their beers.
If you want to get involved in the fight to lower taxes and make Americans more prosperous, click here to see which events to go to and petitions to sign and be part of America’s most important grassroots army.
