Top Cocktails per Capita

For many parts of the U.S., warm weather is on the way again! Here are the cocktails that America loves most, including what the five most populous states in the nation are mixing to celebrate Summer 2021.

We wanted to know which beverages scream “summer” to people across the country, so we drilled down into the results of our list of The Best Cocktails for Warm Weather. The results speak for themselves, but we were interested in how people living in different climates and environments throughout the U.S. contributed to that ranking. Below are the five most populous states in the nation: each of them represents an entirely different way of thinking about both drinking and warm weather, and each of them has the demographic power to shift the results of this list. Take a look to find out how the five biggest populations in the U.S. are toasting the arrival of summer.

California: Mojito

This highly popular cocktail originated in Cuba, so you’d be forgiven for guessing it’d be the favorite of Floridians rather than Californians. But residents of the country’s most populated state love the Mojito so much that they’ve put their own, special twist on the drink, substituting lemon for lime. When they can’t find a Mojito in the summer months, the results of our list say that the second choice of Golden State residents is the Caipirinha.

Texas: Daiquiri

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the population (unless you’re from California, of course). Texas is more famous for their love of beer and whiskey than for fruity drinks — when it comes to cocktails in general, our data says their first choice is an Old Fashioned. But when it comes to drinks that can help them beat the heat, residents of the Lone Star state put the Daiquiri above all else. Their second favorite choice on this list is the Hurricane, followed by the Piña Colada.

Florida: Margarita

Despite its proximity to Cuba, Florida’s favorite summer drink is not the Mojito, nor the Cuba Libre, but the Margarita — a famous cocktail that is popularly associated with Mexico, though some people theorize it was created elsewhere. Frozen or unfrozen, with or without salt, residents of the Sunshine State would rather cool down with this beverage than with any other, though they’ll settle for a Daiquiri in a pinch.

New York: Mojito

Representing the other side of America’s bicoastal love affair with the Mojito is New York, which has the fourth-largest population in the country. New Yorkers’ more traditional take on the popular cocktail is best represented by the New York Times-featured recipe from William Hamilton, a simple version perfect for warm weather. When a Mojito isn’t on hand, Margaritas and Mai Tais are the second and third respective choices of Empire State residents.

Pennsylvania: Sangria

Pennsylvania is a huge state that encompasses both the rural countryside surrounding the Appalachian mountain range and the bustling metropolis of Philadelphia. While Mechanicsburg and Pittsburgh may have different choices individually, the Keystone State’s collective pick is Sangria. That makes sense when you consider that PA is not just the fifth-most populous state in the country, but also the fifth largest grape producer.

Around the Country, All the Time

Forget the warm weather for a second: what’s your favorite cocktail any time of year, rain or shine? Nearly 5,000 people across the country answered that question through our list of The Best Cocktails Ever Mixed. Here’s how people in all 50 states feel about the cocktail question, from the Aperol Spritz to the Zombie.

These stories are crafted using Ranker Insights, which takes over one billion votes cast on Ranker.com and converts them into actionable psychographics about pop culture fans across the world. To learn more about how our Ranker Insights can be customized to serve your business needs, visit insights.ranker.com, or email us at insights@ranker.com.

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