Doing this before boozing makes you a ‘smart drinker’: poll

More than half of Americans think they are smart drinkers and many claim they know how to avoid a hangover, according to new research.

OnePoll and Casa Azul Tequila Soda teamed up to survey 2,000 people 21 and older to find out what makes a “smart drinker,” discovering that 65% of those who consume alcohol claim they’ve mastered knowing what and how much to drink.

The poll found that 45% of respondents are likely to drink premixed canned alcoholic beverages; however, 41% of respondents admitted they don’t often know what percentage of alcohol their drink of choice contains.

Forty-two percent of respondents admitted knowing the alcohol content of their drink positively impacts their drinking experience and 47% of alcohol consumers claim they can tell the difference when alcoholic drinks are made with real spirits and ingredients. And two-thirds claimed they can also feel the difference the ingredients make in their body the next day.

Lance Collins, founder and chairman of Casa Azul, said most low-calorie hard seltzers available right now are made with malt liquor, not real spirits, and consumers may not be aware of what is in them.

“At the other end of the spectrum are canned cocktails made with real spirits, but they’re more than twice the alcohol and three times the carbs and sugar,” he told Talker. “Consumers want options that won’t lead to them feeling bad the next day, which is why canned alcoholic beverages made with real spirits and quality ingredients are a delicious, convenient option that they can feel good about.”

The survey found that 49% of respondents said they pace themselves and consume around two of those drinks per hour, and “smart drinkers” choose low-volume alcoholic beverages (27%). 

To avoid hangovers, 23% of respondents stay away from drinks high in sugar and congeners, with 29% recommend paying close attention to exactly what ingredients are in those drinks and 44% say they sip on water in between drinks.

The survey revealed that “smart drinking” entails eating a meal before drinking (53%) and makng sure not to mix different types of alcohol (45%).

“It’s clear from the data that consumer demand is shifting and, when people choose to drink alcohol, they want options that have simple but quality ingredients,” said Collins.

“However, with so many choices on shelves and misleading marketing, many shoppers don’t realize that they aren’t even drinking alcohol with real spirits,” he continued. “This is especially true in the canned tequila space, with products like canned margaritas or ranch waters, because they don’t even have actual tequila in them. When you’re sharing something with friends, you want something real.”