Alcohol remains heavily regulated in the US, partially as a legacy of prohibition. This regulation varies from state to state. In addition to the general sales tax, all 50 states impose an additional tax on beer, which is often passed onto consumers.

The taxes levied are an excise tax and come in the form of either a fixed per-volume tariff or a wholesale tax. Distributors are taxed in some states through their sales or by license fees. Other states impose a fee on bottles or cases of beer.  

This list ranks the 50 states and the District of Columbia from the lowest beer excise tax to the highest, ranging from $0.02 per gallon to $1.29. In each ranking, you can also see the number of breweries per capita in 2016 and the consumption per capita in 2015 (most recent data available). 

Excise tax: $0.02 per gallon 

Breweries per capita: 1.1 (#45 highest) 

Consumption per capita: 1.28 (#14 highest)

Excise tax: $0.06 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 1.8 (#33 highest)

Consumption per capita: 1.17 (#21 highest)

Excise tax: $0.06 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 3.3 (#12 highest)

Consumption per capita: 1.39 (#6 highest)

Excise tax: $0.08 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 1.1 (#44 highest)

Consumption per capita: 0.99 (#39 highest)

Excise tax: $0.08 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 8.1 (#4 highest)

Consumption per capita: 1.22 (#18 highest)

Excise tax: $0.08 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 8.4 (#3 highest)

Consumption per capita: 1.12 (#28 highest)

Excise tax: $0.08 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 2.2 (#25 highest)

Consumption per capita: 1.31 (#12 highest)

Excise tax: $0.09 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 1.5 (#36 highest)

Consumption per capita: 0.85 (#48 highest)

Excise tax: $0.09 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 2.3 (#22 highest)

Consumption per capita: 1.14 (#25 highest)

Excise tax: $0.11 per gallon

Breweries per capita: 1.9 (#31 highest)

Consumption per capita: 0.96 (#45 highest)