Jul 15, 2026 - Business
Virginia has the nation's third-highest spirits tax
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Alcohol taxes vary dramatically from state to state, which means the same can of beer, glass of wine or fancy cocktail can cost significantly more depending on where you order it.
Why it matters: Those varying taxes aren't great news for Virginians — at least for the state's wine and spirit drinkers.
By the numbers: Virginia's tax on off-premise distilled spirits sales works out to $23.47 per a gallon, per Tax Foundation, an independent policy research organization.
- That puts Virginia's tax on booze at the state-run liquor stores as the third highest in the nation.
- For wine, Virginia's tax is $1.51 per a gallon, the nation's 10th highest.
- But Virginia's beer lovers can rejoice. They're paying about $0.26-cents per a gallon, in the bottom half of states. (Virginia's beer tax in ranked 26th.)
The intrigue: Alcohol taxes don't follow a single regional pattern.
- Wyoming has the nation's lowest tax rate for beer and spirits and California takes the crown for lowest wine tax.
- The spirts tax, the priciest state is Washington; for wine it's Kentucky; and Tennessee's beer tax is the nation's highest.
The bottom line: It could be worse for Virginians.