In an average four week period, 67.5% of the Australian population aged 18 and over consume at least one type of alcoholic drink. This represents a gradual decline over the last five years from 70.1% recorded in 2014. All major categories of alcoholic drinks showed declines in incidence over this period, apart from cider which increased.

Wine the most popular alcoholic drink just ahead of beer

Wine is consumed by 42.8% of the Australian population aged 18+ over an average four week period, ahead of beer with 38.2% and spirits on 26.3%. Cider is now consumed by 11.4% which has increased from 11.1% five years ago, making it the only type of alcohol to increase. The incidence of cider drinkers is now ahead of RTD (10.8%), Liqueurs (6.5%) and Fortified Wine (4.9%).

Over the last five years the biggest decline was for wine (down 2.3% points), followed by liqueurs (down 1.2% points), RTD (down 0.9% points). Beer showed a decline of 0.6% points and as a result closed the gap marginally to wine as Australia’s most widely drunk type of alcohol.

Beer is drunk in the greatest volume by Australians

Although wine is the most popular alcoholic drink in terms of the number of drinkers, beer is clearly the top in terms of volume (based on glasses). The following chart shows that beer accounts for 45% of the volume of alcoholic drinks consumed more than wine (29.1%) and spirits (13.2%) combined.However, since 2014 gains in share of volume were seen for wine (up 2.4% points), cider (up 0.8% points) and spirits (up 0.6% points). Losses in share were greatest for beer (down 2.8% points) and RTDs (down 1.1% points).

Women prefer wine by a big margin while men usually choose to drink beer

There are big differences between the alcohol preferences of women and men in Australia however the vast bulk of alcohol drunk in Australia is by men (66.6%) almost double the overall volume of alcohol drunk by women (33.4%).

The most popular alcohol by volume for women is easily wine which accounts for 48.2% of the volume of alcohol drunk by women. Well behind is beer which comprises 18.3% of the volume of alcohol drunk by women, spirts (15.2%), RTD (7.5%), Cider (5.8%), Liqueurs (2%), Fortified Wine (1.1%) and Other types of alcohol (1.9%).

For men it is beer which takes all before it taking a 58.4% share of the volume of alcohol men consume. The second most popular type of alcohol drunk by men is wine which comprises 19.5% of the volume of alcohol drunk by men, followed by spirits (12.2%), RTD (4.9%), Cider (2.6%), Liqueurs (1%), Fortified Wine (0.8%) and Other types of alcohol (0.6%).