Buffalo: City of Good Drinkers

Every once in a while, something comes along that really boosts my civic pride.

Maybe a nice article about Buffalo in a national publication.

Or a big event held here that attracts national attention.

Or a list of America's drunkest cities.

Here’s somewhat surprising news, if you attended at least one Bills game or spent any time on Chippewa Street this year.

Buffalo is “only” the 16^th drunkest city in the country.

Just in time for New Year’s Eve, the Daily Beast is out with a list of the top 25 cities for boozing it up.

It’s based on scientific data obtained in a survey.  Of course, it’s a survey of drinkers….so you have to wonder just how many of the people surveyed answered accurately.  Or even remembered their name. 

Here are the factors that went into the survey: average monthly drinks consumed per person, percent of population that are heavy drinkers, and percentage of population that are binge drinkers.

Here are our numbers:

13.1 average monthly drinks per person

8.7% heavy drinkers

19.4% binge drinkers

The first number seems a little low, unless Bills fans were so blitzed they couldn’t take part in the survey.

The second number seems about right.

But I have my doubts about the third number.  If that many Western New Yorkers are binge drinkers, Chris Lee wouldn’t have needed Craigslist.

Anyway, when all the numbers were added up, the number one drunk city in the country was Boston.  And if you’ve ever driven there, that makes perfect sense.   Plus, they had a Stanley Cup parade this year.

Just up the Mass turnpike, Springfield is number two….and if you’ve ever been to Springfield, you know there’s nothing to do there but drink.

Other rankings that made sense....a couple of big beer towns were high on the list.  Milwaukee is number three, and St. Louis is number eight.

Chicago is also in the top 10, and Las Vegas is 14.

But we were also beaten out by Burlington, Vermont at number 11.  Which could explain some of the flavors they come up with at Ben & Jerry’s.

And Fort Myers, Florida is number 15.  Have you been there?  I think the average age is 102. Apparently a lot of snowbirds are too drunk to fly.

But back to Buffalo. Let's be proud.  We're not nearly as drunk as you might think.