Is there a difference between beer and hard liquor? You bet your brewsky! Beer and hard liquor are not the same, despite what the liquor lobby may be telling you. For example, a standard Scotch on the rocks is equal to 1.5 beers, a Piña Colada has the alcohol content of more than two beers and a Long Island Iced Tea contains as much alcohol as five to six beers. When consumers purchase a bottle of beer, they are buying a finished product with pre-determined alcohol content. But hard liquor is a concentrated product whose alcohol content can vary at different times depending on whether or not it’s mixed with other beverages, or whether or not the bartender uses a “jigger” to measure. The truth is, when being served a liquor drink it can be hard to know how much you're actually getting, but it’s probably more than the 1.5 oz. recommended serving size. The government has recognized the difference between the two products since early colonial times by taxing beer at a lower rate. The prohibition on beer was lifted eight months before it was repealed on other products. In fact, many states still distribute beer and liquor differently, requiring liquor to be purchased at a special “package” or “state store” instead of a grocery or convenience store. Regardless of what beverage you choose to consume, America’s beer distributors remind you to do so responsibly and in moderation. Never drive drunk, and remember, if you’re under 21 drinking is against the law.