This confirms what we probably already knew. Beer is the preferred alcoholic beverage among Americans. According to The Beer Institute, beer sales totaled a whopping $98 billion dollars in 2011. Thats a 3% increase from on premise (bars, stadiums, etc.) to $55 billion, and a 1% increase in off premise purchases, to the tune of $43 billion. There are an estimated 547,000 beer-selling retail establishments currently operating in the United States.
via U.S. Beer Sales Totaled $98 Billion In 2011 | Beer Street Journal.