In case you had any doubts, Alabama still has some of the highest alcohol taxes in the United States.
The Yellowhammer state raises approximately $18.27 per gallon of alcohol sold, according to a study released Thursday by the Tax Foundation, a Washington D.C.-based think tank that studies state and federal tax data.
"Washington state has the highest spirits excise tax rate at $32.52 per gallon, followed by Oregon ($22.75), Virginia ($19.93), Alabama ($18.27), and Utah ($15.38)," noted a Tax Foundation study. "Spirits are taxed the least in Wyoming and New Hampshire, where government-run stores have set prices low enough that they are comparable to having no taxes on spirits. Following Wyoming and New Hampshire are Missouri ($2.00), Colorado ($2.28), Texas ($2.40), and Kansas ($2.50)."
The data is taken from the Distilled Spirits Council of America, a national trade association that represents American's leading distillers.
While you may have to pay a lot more in Alabama to get your hands on some booze, don't worry. Thank god for Georgia ($3.79) or Mississippi ($8.15). For those of you living in the north, Tennessee raises $4.46 per gallon. Florida is bringing in $6.50 a gallon. And if you really want to get drunk on the cheap, drive to Louisiana, where every gallon taxed raises just $3.00. The difference in tax rates, as you might imagine, means different prices at the checkout.
A 1.75 liter of Jim Beam costs $34.99, according to Alabama's ABC Quarterly price list. The same bottle in a randomly chosen liquor store in Georgia costs $18.99.
Some in Alabama's legislature would prefer to see Alabama withdraw from the liquor business and leave it to private liquor stores. And while those private liquor stores outnumber the ABC stores, booze coming into the state is controlled and taxed by ABC.
There is a general belief among lawmakers that privitazing the industry would see a drastic fall in Alabama's tax revenues.
"I think that we would see a decrease in revenues to start with for a couple of years but in time that would absolutely increase and go above current levels," said Senator Dick Brewbaker during an interview with AL.com.
However, the status quo is being kept in place by an almighty and unlikely alliance.
"We're still in the liquor selling business because of a coalition between the ABC and the religious right. And the religious right believes very firmly that if it was privatized there would be more liquor sold and they think that's bad," Brewbaker added.