Here's How Much Beer Is Estimated To Be Chugged During The Super Bowl

Almost 40% of Americans prefer beer over any other buzzy beverages, as reported by Gallup. It's the perfect companion for laid-back Friday nights, a complementary beverage for a hangout with the gang, and some foodies even know how to pair beer with their meal. But perhaps one of the best moments to drink beer is when an exciting sports game is on screen. At a large, much-awaited event like the Super Bowl, there's an estimated amount of more than 325 million gallons to be chugged — and that's considering that some folks go for sodas. Here's what's crazier: there are 28.2 gallons of beer consumed per person yearly in the U.S., so the beer enjoyed during the Super Bowl adds up to the combined annual beer consumption of 11.5 million people.

More than 203 million adults in America are looking forward to the year's biggest sports event — according to data from the National Retail Federation — and roughly half of the Americans tuning in will drink beer. So calling beer a fan favorite might even be an understatement. Beer sales can even climb roughly 23% daily during the two weeks before the Super Bowl, with the Friday before the big game being the peak of the beer frenzy, since more folks will go out to get a few cases just in time for Sunday.

Sports and beer have always gone hand in hand. A sports bar that doesn't sell beer is akin to a pizza parlor without any pizza options; it just doesn't make sense. The reason behind this is partly due to the flashy advertisements by beer companies, making it an enduring presence in big events like the Super Bowl. Some brands, like Budweiser, even have a long-standing reputation for being front and center during the event as one of the sponsors. 

Aside from the marketing aspect of it, beer is also considered a social drink. Due to its generally low alcohol content, sippers won't get intoxicated right away, allowing time for conversations to flow among people who have become more relaxed and sociable. It might also be why folks like drinking beer while watching sports games; you wouldn't want to feel buzzed right away and miss the best parts of the game, but you'd still want the mild effects of alcohol. Drinking beer just comes with the experience, which has become ingrained in sports culture.

Other than the soaring beer consumption during this season, a Super Bowl watch party isn't complete without the party snacks, so people also spend a good amount of money on food. Whether they're sipping on the perfect ale to balance the heat of spicy dishes or enjoying a pub's tap to pair with wings and nachos, the game day feast is an integral part of the Super Bowl. One might even say that it brings the whole tradition together.