Alcohol preferences in Europe

Other than the prevalent hard liquor, the vodka belt is also characterised by a higher occurrence of binge drinking compared to the rest of Europe.

[13] In many countries traditionally preferring vodka, it has been supplanted by beer as the alcoholic drink of choice since the early 21st century.

[14] The Polish Beer-Lovers' Party (which won 16 seats in the Sejm in 1991) was founded on the notion of fighting alcoholism by a cultural abandonment of vodka for beer.

[19][20][21] These countries' geography is closely tied to the historical growing range of its two main ingredients, barley and hops.

Originally, European "ale" (not yet called beer in Germanic languages) was produced without hops, which were introduced to Europe from the east.

[citation needed] As of 2012[update] the beer-preferring countries include Belgium, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, some parts of Austria, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Central Federal District of Russia, the northern and eastern (German-speaking) cantons of Switzerland and the French regions of Alsace, Lorraine, Nord-Pas-de-Calais and the department of Ardennes.

[33] Countries in the wine belt include Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Georgia, Cyprus, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, San Marino, Switzerland, Romania, France, and Southern Federal District of Russia.

[24] A number of countries in Southeast Europe that fall within the wine belt also produce a variety of fruit brandies, many of which are considered their "national drink", such as Țuică, Rakia, and Pálinka.

European countries grouped by preferred type of alcoholic drink, based on recorded alcohol per capita (age 15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol) in 2016
Map of Europe with individual countries grouped by preferred type of alcoholic drink, based on recorded alcohol per capita (age 15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol) in 2016 [ 1 ]
Wine
Beer
Spirits
European countries grouped into three regions by dominant patterns of alcohol consumption and traditionally preferred types of alcoholic drink
Map of Europe with individual countries grouped into three regions by dominant patterns of alcohol consumption and traditionally preferred types of alcoholic drink
Wine-drinking countries [ 2 ] [ 3 ] / Mediterranean pattern [ 4 ] [ 5 ] )
Beer-drinking countries [ 2 ] [ 3 ] / Central European pattern [ 4 ] [ 5 ] )
Spirit-drinking countries [ 2 ] [ 3 ] / Eastern/Northern European pattern [ 4 ] [ 5 ] )
Both Denmark [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 5 ] and Slovakia [ 3 ] [ 5 ] [ 4 ] are categorized either as beer-drinking countries or as spirit-drinking countries.