• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

I can’t stop looking at this alcohol economic impact infographic from Four Loko

December 19, 2016Keith Gribbins

Do you remember Four Loko? I guess I forgot. Its combination of caffeine, alcohol and shady marketing got the Chicago-based company in hot water a ways back (tho they’ve dropped the caffeine, taurine and guarana since). In fact, I actually drank a Four Loko once, but what I remember more is that second Four Loko that stayed in my fridge for two years after that. It just wasn’t my thing — sweet and energizing. I’m more bitter and lethargic.

Why do I bring up these exciting stories from my past? Why the folks at Phusion Projects (who own Four Loko) sent over this cool infographic below on booze and money. The company turned to Digital Third Coast for the project, which does awesome work, so it naturally turned out quite interesting (see below). And hey, Four Loko, it’s good to see you guys and gals still out there kicking life in the dick with those behemoth 23.5-ounce cans of malt insanity (some of which now top off at an impressive 14 percent ABV). Cheers!

The info below was provide by Andy Kerns, content strategist at Digital Third Coast, partnered with Four Loko.

Alcohol Beverage Industry: Economic Impact

From casual social outings to celebratory events, alcohol is frequently part of our lives. While the culinary and cultural value of these drinks is commonly emphasized, the economic impact is often forgotten. Alcohol plays an enormous role in our economy. In the U.S. alone, the alcohol beverage industry is responsible for sustaining more than 4 million jobs and generating almost $70 billion in annual tax revenue. And that doesn’t scratch the surface of the economic benefits the alcohol industry provides to late night restaurants and pizza shops.

CLICK ON THE INFOGRAPHIC TO READ THE SMALL PRINT 

The Economy of Alcohol
Thanks again to fourloko.com.

Make no mistake, these numbers are significant. The taxes derived from your happy-hour cocktail, fine wine, or tailgate beer generates a surplus of revenue for federal, state, and local governments. From there, the money can be applied toward various social service programs and public organizations that improve your quality of life. For example, tax revenue from alcoholic beverages could be applied toward research and development for science and medical issues, like those studied at the National Institute of Health (which has an annual budget of $32 billion).

It takes nearly 4.4 million people collectively to satiate America’s collective thirst. That’s more jobs than active U.S. military service members (1.3 million), or the total number of firefighters, police officers, physicians, and lawyers combined (2.5 million) in the U.S. Per the Beer Institute, the beer industry alone supports 1.75 million jobs. From the farmers harvesting the barley in your beer, to the beer truck driver, to your local bartender, every aspect of your drink exists because of someone in the alcohol industry working hard behind the scenes.

The positive economic impact of alcohol is something you seldom consider when having a drink, but, given the facts, maybe it’s time we all raise a glass to it.

Sources:

  • www.bls.gov
  • http://stats.oecd.org/
  • https://www.cbo.gov
  • http://www.ncsl.org/
  • https://www.vcf.gov/
  • https://www.wikipedia.org/
  • http://www.nasa.gov/
  • https://www.nps.gov
  • http://beta.foreignassistance.gov/
  • http://www.wswa.org/facts-data
  • http://www.beerinstitute.org/
Arizona Wilderness Brewing
Cheers to 10 Years: We should all strive to be Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
huss-brewing-papago-brewing
The all-new Papago Brewing taproom opens Friday
Beer Institute releases December 2022 domestic tax paid estimate
Sin, Repent and Repeat on Fat Tuesday and more beers to know this week

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Cheers to 10 Years: We should all strive to be Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
  • Watch famed gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman discuss his Flying Dog beer labels
  • The all-new Papago Brewing taproom opens Friday
  • Michigan’s Dog Star Hops wins Chinook Cup for second year in a row

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • Arizona Wilderness BrewingCheers to 10 Years: We should all strive to be Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
    February 2, 2023
  • Watch famed gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman discuss his Flying Dog beer labels
    February 2, 2023
  • Michigan’s Dog Star Hops wins Chinook Cup for second year in a row
    February 1, 2023
  • fort point both-ciders-3Fort Point Beer debuts cider line, explains why ciders instead of seltzers
    January 31, 2023
  • Watch a drone release insects over hop yards for sustainable pest control in this Yakima Chief Hops video series
    January 30, 2023
  • Distro update: Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing goes to Colorado + news from Surreal, New Sarum and more
    January 30, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC