Study: Calif. pays lower taxes on alcohol than average
By Daniel Wheaton, Los Angeles Times
Californians can consider themselves lucky: their state charges less in taxes than the national average for import taxes on beer, wine and liquor.
A report from the Tax Foundation breaks down excise taxes by state. These are paid by the person or business that buys the alcohol from the manufacturer, and are often passed down to the consumer. California’s rate is 20 cents per gallon of beer. That amounts to 2.5 cents for each pint. On top of that however, is a federal tax of 58 cents per gallon of beer, or 7 cents per pint.
As with nearly every other good, taxes vary based on where you’re purchasing them. Regionally, there is significant variation in how much states tax beer: The South has the highest beer taxes; in Wyoming, it’s barely anything at all.
