Presidency comes with a huge responsibility on one’s shoulders. One sits in a position where they have to make each decision while considering its consequences on the state. But guess what if your president gets drunk and makes an important decision? Unbelievable? But that is a bitter truth.
There are various presidents known in the world for years that drink frequently. These include John Adams, Martin van Buren, and even Barack Obama. But does drinking alcohol impact their decision-making ability or not?
So, let’s delve through the article and find which Presidents Drink alcohol and consider it an essential part of their dining.
Table of Contents
ToggleTop 9 Presidents That Drank The Most
The presidency is a responsible job that includes carrying the weight of the entire world on your shoulders. And therefore, their drinking doesn’t seem to be a sound option.
But carry the can, as presidents all over the world have been known to be involved in drinking for ages. However, they need to be careful enough not to make any official decision or announcement when drunk. The reason is that a wee bit of carelessness can cost them and the nation a considerable loss.
With numerous of them known, the most common presidents for their drinking habits are:
1. George Washington
George Washington, the president of the United States from 1789–1797, was an insane alcohol addict. He used to drink all types of alcohol. But to be specific, he was fond of rum and French wine.
It is known that his loyal men always made sure that he was provided with rum daily. Moreover, George Washington had a significant association with the French, and there are letters found in which he discussed the flavor profile of wine with the French and even asked for rich, oily wine.
2. John Adams
Another president that was too much into drinking was John Adams. And to make it clear, he was into sipping booze from a very early age. Some sources claim that he used to drink breakfast since the age of 15. Similarly, there are reports that John Adams consumed 20 ounces of apple cider for breakfast. It seems insane, right?
In fact, sipping booze was so normal to his family that it cost the lives of his uncle, son, and brother due to severe addiction.
Moreover, there are some known letters written by him to his wife about rum, wine, and beer.
3. Thomas Jefferson
Another president that was a serious connoisseur of wine was Thomas Jefferson, the known founding father. They were fans of drinking booze. He is known to visit the famous vineyards of Bordeaux, and purchased a lot of bottles too from the collection.
Just like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson also liked French wine the most.
4. Martin van Buren
Martin van Buren is one of the most alcoholic presidents of all time. In fact, he drank to the extent that his friends gave him the title of Blue Whiskey Van. And the fun fact was that even after having too many shots, he hardly showed any sign of intoxication.
But here comes the fall. He lost the elections against William Henry Harrison in 1840 because he was painted as an alcoholic.
5. Franklin Pierce
And here comes Franklin Pierce, another most famous alcoholic presidents in history.
Some of his favorite ones were:
- Rum
- Brandy
- Champagne
And he was addicted to such an extent that his life revolved around just drinking and his presidency. In fact, reporters say that when he wanted to be nominated as president, he said that now there was nothing left in his life other than drinking.
6. James Buchanan
And when enlisting the most drunk presidents in history, one can surely not forget to mention James Buchanan. He was so much into booze and drinking that he finished nearly 10-gallon jugs of whiskey weekly and used to pick up 10 gallons for the distillery every Sunday. Isn’t it unbelievable? To amaze you further, he took two bottles of alcohol regularly before sleeping.
But don’t take him easily, as the man knew how to control hangover symptoms and intoxication.
7. Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant, elected twice as president, is yet another president with a sound drinking reputation. During civil wars, he used to sit and drink for nearly the whole day without feeling intoxicated.
But yes, he wanted to get rid of his drinking habit, though he never indeed succeeded.
And to amaze you, there is humor that at the deathbed, doctors gave him brandy to live a few more minutes.
8. Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon used to sip booze a lot too. However, the scenario was quite different in his case. And that was all because he got intoxicated easily, unlike the other presidents.
In fact, he has been reported as a paranoid madman in the book named One Man Against The World: The Tragedy of Richard Nixon”. In the book, the author tells a few life events of Richard Nixon’s life when he got drunk and gave some meaningless statements. In fact, in the war in Vietnam, their extreme aggression and wild behavior of Richard is claimed to be because of his constant dependency on alcohol.
9. Barack Obama
And here comes the last one of today’s listing- Barack Obama. He is open to smoking, drinking, etc.
He has been drinking lots of alcohol and enjoys each of them equally, including
- Wine
- Martin
- Beer
- Margarita
And he is so fond of alcohol that he has brewed honey ale in the White House.
Final Verdict
Indeed, the presidency is a huge responsibility to aim for. You sit in a position where you make the best decisions for the state’s welfare. And therefore, being drunk in such a position is quite risky. However, presidents have been drinking for years.
While some presidents favor alcohol abstinence, others drink it every day. Some of the presidents who drank the most in history are John Adams, Martin van Buren, Franklin Pierce, etc. However, most have been lucky enough to make no weird statements or decisions when drunk.
I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.