Adolescents' alcoholic beverage preferences are shifting from beer to distilled spirits

Distilled spirits are becoming more popular among adolescent drinkers and are challenging beer as the alcoholic beverage most likely consumed by underage drinkers, especially among youth who report binge drinking, according to a recent Health and Human Services report to Congress.  Flavored alcoholic beverages are also popular.

The charts above show the alcoholic beverages of choice among female and male high school seniors who drink.  The red line represents flavored alcoholic beverages, the dark blue line represents beer, and the light blue line with squares represents distilled spirits. 

According to the report, beverage preferences vary somewhat by state.  Data from four states indicated that, among high school students who reported binge drinking, liquor was the most prevalent alcoholic beverage type.