America’s Official State Beverages
Across the United States, 32 states have designated an official beverage, reflecting local agriculture, history, and culture. The most common choice remains milk, selected by 20 states (including Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, and others) to honor strong dairy traditions and its role as a wholesome staple. Other non-alcoholic favorites highlight regional pride: Florida’s orange juice (since 1967, celebrating its citrus dominance), Massachusetts’ cranberry juice, Ohio’s pioneering tomato juice (the first state beverage in 1965), and Rhode Island’s distinctive coffee milk. Unique picks like Nebraska’s Kool-Aid (as its official soft drink) and Maine’s nostalgic Moxie soda add fun flair.
While most official beverages stay family-friendly, several states now recognize alcoholic options—often as separate “state spirits”—to spotlight heritage and modern distilling. Louisiana honors the Sazerac cocktail, Delaware features the Orange Crush, and Maryland celebrates rye whiskey for its pre-Prohibition legacy. However, only three states designate a specific whiskey as an official spirit: Alabama with Conecuh Ridge Whiskey (Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey) since 2004, embodying moonshine innovation and Southern smoothness; Virginia with George Washington’s Rye Whiskey (produced at Mount Vernon) since 2017, paying tribute to the Founding Father’s historic distillery and rye recipe; and Maryland with rye whiskey since 2023. These spirited selections rise above the milk majority, capturing revolutionary history, craftsmanship, and a bold pour of American independence!
| State | Drink | Year |
| Alabama | Conecuh Ridge Whiskey (State Spirit) |
2004 |
| Arizona | Lemonade | 2019 |
| Arkansas | Milk | 1985 |
| Delaware | Milk | 1983 |
| Florida | Orange juice | 1967 |
| Indiana | Water | 2007 |
| Kentucky | Milk (State Drink) | 2005 |
| Ale-8-One (An original Kentucky soft drink) |
2013 | |
| Louisiana | Milk | 1983 |
| Maine | Moxie | 2005 |
| Maryland | Milk | 1998 |
| Massachusetts | Cranberry juice | 1970 |
| Minnesota | Milk | 2004 |
| Mississippi | Milk | 1984 |
| Nebraska | Milk (State Beverage) | 1998 |
| Kool-Aid (State Soft Drink) | ||
| New Hampshire | Apple cider | 2010 |
| New York | Milk | 1981 |
| North Carolina | Milk | 1987 |
| North Dakota | Milk | 1983 |
| Ohio | Tomato juice | 1965 |
| Oklahoma | Milk | 2002 |
| Oregon | Milk | 1997 |
| Pennsylvania | Milk | 1982 |
| Rhode Island | Coffee milk | 1993 |
| South Carolina | Milk (State Beverage) | 1984 |
| South Carolina-grown tea (State Hospitality Beverage) |
1995 | |
| South Dakota | Milk | 1986 |
| Tennessee | Milk | 2009 |
| Vermont | Milk | 1983 |
| Virginia | Milk (State Beverage) | 1982 |
| George Washington’s Rye Whiskey (State Spirit) |
2017 | |
| Wisconsin | Milk | 1987
|
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