Hey Maine – You Didn’t Drink As Much As You Thought In 2020

Didn't it seem like those of us who drink alcohol drank way more in 2020?  Whether it was more frequent post-work drinks, Zoom happy hours, or people who were day-drinking because their place of business was temporarily closed, it just seemed like we were consuming way more liquor than we have in recent years.

Apparently, the idea is not as accurate as we all think.

According to the KJ, Maine alcohol sales went flat following that initial bump at the start of the stay-at-home order.

As of the beginning of December, 2020 wholesale gross sales for the state’s liquor operation showed a rise of 9.3 percent over the same nine-month stretch of 2019, according to state data.  For comparison, over the last five years we have seen an average growth of about 7% per year.

While there was an increase in the sales of most types of alcohol in Maine, for the first time in a decade, there was a decrease in the production and sale of craft beers.  Just over 5 million gallons were brewed and sold in 2019.  For 2020, that amount dropped to about 4.5 million gallons.  A fairly small, but noticeable, drop considering the size of the industry.

Currently, there are 156 licensed breweries in the State of Maine.  Some, however, have multiple locations.

What is your adult beverage of choice?  Let us know by messaging us through our app or on Facebook.

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