Panama is the country where the highest proportion of beer consumption was reported with respect to total alcohol consumed, with 77%, followed by Costa Rica and Guatemala, with 64% and 56%, respectively.
The Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018, published by the World Health Organization (WHO), details statistics up to 2016 on consumption of alcoholic beverages in different countries.
According to the report, consumption of distilled beverages in Central American countries, which include rum, whiskey, vodka, brandy, cognac and some digestives, account for 59% of the total alcohol consumed in Nicaragua. In Honduras, the proportion was 52%, in El Salvador 51%, in Guatemala 42%, in Costa Rica 28% and in Panama 19%.
See “Alcoholic beverages: Imports Up 3% in 2017“
In regards to beer consumption, the document details that in Panama this accounts for 77% of the total demand for alcohol, in Costa Rica the percentage reaches 64%, in Guatemala 56%, in El Salvador 48%, in Honduras 47% and in Nicaragua 40%
See also “Beer in Central America: Imports Grow”
The report highlights that in Costa Rica 7% of alcoholic beverages consumed are wines, in Panama the proportion for this drink is 4%, in Guatemala 2%, and in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras it is 1%.
See also “Central America bought more wines in 2017“
Summary table of the percentages for the distribution of alcohol consumption by type in the Central American countries, in 2016.
| Destilled Beverages | Beer | ||
| Costa Rica | 28% | 64% | 7% |
| El Salvador | 51% | 48% | 1% |
| Guatemala | 42% | 56% | 1% |
| Honduras | 52% | 47% | 1% |
| Nicaragua | 59% | 40% | 1% |
| Panama | 19% | 77% | 4% |
See Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018.