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What a 6-pack of beer cost the year you were born

Talia Lakritz

Updated

2019-04-07T14:39:00Z

beer factory 2009 — David Kovalchick loads bottles of beer into cases at the Flying Fish Brewing Co. headquarters in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, in 2009. Mike Derer/AP

This Sunday is National Beer Day. As you celebrate, do you ever wonder how much beer used to cost?

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The average change in price paid by consumers over time for goods and services is measured by a figure called the Consumer Price Index. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has tracked the CPI for beer, ale, and other malt beverages since the 1950s.

According to the Official Data Foundation's inflation calculator, the data from the BLS shows that the price of beer in the United States was 475.62% higher in 2018 than it was in 1953.

Here's what a pack of beer cost the year you were born.

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1953: $1.57

beer — Pounding in the spigots and getting barrels ready for filling in a New York brewery. AP

Inflation rate: 1.24%

1954: $1.62

beer — Herbert Poole acts as bartender for shipmates at Union Jack Club. Bill Allen/AP

Inflation rate: 3.28%

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1955: $1.61

beer — Gerhart Eisler celebrates with a beer. AP

Inflation rate: -0.74%

1956: $1.64

drinking beer — Richarda Morrow-Tait drinking a pint of beer. Ron Gerelli/Express/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.75%

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1957: $1.67

beer vintage — Workers check bottles of beer, cider, and barley water. Fox Photos/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.82%

1958: $1.66

beer 1958 — Harry Thomas, left, a member of the Nautilus Crew, taps beer for his crewmates in the Black Dog Public House in Weymouth, Oregon, in 1958. AP

Inflation rate: -0.29%

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1959: $1.68

beer 1959 — Peter Bury, co-owner of the Co-Existence Bagel Shop, in San Francisco in 1959. AP

Inflation rate: 0.87%

1960: $1.70

beer — Bottles being examined for cleanliness under a strong light. MacGregor/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.49%

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1961: $1.70

beer — A toast at a film studio. George W. Hales/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 0.14%

1962: $1.71

vintage beer bar drinking — Drinking beer at a bar. Russell Lee for Farm Security Administration/WPA/Wikimedia Commons

Inflation rate: 0.61%

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1963: $1.73

vintage beer — A gathering in Pittsburgh. Library of Congress

Inflation rate: 0.89%

1964: $1.74

vintage bar — A bar in Louisiana. Russell LeeRussell Lee for Farm Security Administration/WPA/Wikimedia Commons

Inflation rate: 0.79%

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1965: $1.76

1950s — A group of young men and women sit together in a booth inside a pizzeria. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1%

1966: $1.79

dog beer — A dapper dog rests on a car next to a bottle of beer. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.38%

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1967: $1.82

beer dog — Great Dane Charlie Brown enjoys his daily bottle of beer in 1967. Ronald Dumont/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.98%

1968: $1.87

beer crates — A pile of crates of beer stacked up behind the beer garden in London's Battersea Park. Chris Ware/Keystone/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 2.56%

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1969: $1.92

beer — A man drinks beer. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 2.56%

1970: $1.98

beer 1970 — British film star Oliver Reed is seen in the bar at the St. Regis Hotel in New York in 1970. Jack Harris/AP

Inflation rate: 3.34%

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1971: $2.05

drinking beer vintage — The Railway pub in London in 1971. Douglas Miller/Keystone/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 3.64%

1972: $2.07

beer 1972 — Terry McGovern, daughter of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. George McGovern, drinks a beer as she takes time out from opening campaign contribution envelopes at McGovern Headquarters in Washington in 1972. AP

Inflation rate: 0.84%

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1973: $2.10

beer vintage — A man carrying his son while enjoying a pint of beer. Frank Barratt/Keystone/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.49%

1974: $2.30

beer can house — A wall made of cans near Taos, New Mexico, in 1974. Flickr/USNationalArchives

Inflation rate: 9.70%

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1975: $2.55

paul newman — Actor Paul Newman is shown having a beer during an interview at his alma mater, Kenyon College. AP

Inflation rate: 10.67%

1976: $2.61

beer 1976 — First lady Betty Ford holds a beer mug she received while attending an Oktoberfest celebration in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1976. AP

Inflation rate: 2.44%

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1977: $2.65

beer bar — Filming a beer commercial at the Lotus Club in New York. Lederhandler/AP

Inflation rate: 1.50%

1978: $2.80

beer 1978 — Four of the steadiest customers of Thurmer's bar in St. Louis demonstrate their gusto in 1978. Fred Waters/AP

Inflation rate: 5.53%

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1979: $3.09

vintage bar — A bartender taps a a pint of beer at a Young's pub. Graham Morris/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 10.45%

1980: $3.40

reagan beer 1980 — Then presidential hopeful Ronald Reagan samples hot dogs and sips a bottle of beer during a Labor Day barbecue in the backyard Emil Petri’s home in suburban Allen Park, Michigan, in 1980. Walt Zeboski/AP

Inflation rate: 10.24%

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1981: $3.65

beer — Sharing a beer. Adrian Murrell/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 7.22%

1982: $3.82

drinking beer — David Bowie has a drink backstage with Paul Simonon, the bassist from British punk rock band The Clash, circa 1982. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 4.72%

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1983: $4.04

beer bird — Tookie the toucan bird drinks from a glass of Guinness as part of an advertising campaign for the company. Rob Cousins/Evening Standard/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 5.78%

1984: $4.18

beer 1984 — Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado celebrates his Connecticut primary victory with a beer in Brooklyn in 1984. John Duricka/AP

Inflation rate: 3.48%

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1985: $4.29

beer — Enjoying beer. Roberto Pfeil/Shutterstock

Inflation rate: 2.49%

1986: $4.37

post punk beer — Two young women in post-punk fashions drinking beer from cans. Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.85%

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1987: $4.45

beer 1987 — Kim Komenich, photographer for the San Francisco Examiner, is sprayed with San Miguel beer in the Examiner newsroom in San Francisco after winning the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for sport news photography. Jim Gerberich/AP

Inflation rate: 1.95%

1988: $4.59

beer 1988 — Neighbors of Wrigley Field make a toast from their roof as the new lights in the 74-year-old home of the Chicago Cubs shine on the field in 1988. Lisa Genesen/AP

Inflation rate: 3.16%

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1989: $4.75

beer 1989 — Three former University of Nevada, Las Vegas, basketball players drink beers in a hot tub in Las Vegas in 1989. AP

Inflation rate: 3.36%

1990: $4.96

tailgate beer — A fan holds a beer while posing for a portrait during a tailgate party. George Rose/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 4.56%

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1991: $5.56

beer 1991 — President George Bush drinks a beer following a barbecue in Beeville, Texas, in 1991. Dennis Cook/AP

Inflation rate: 12.01%

1992: $5.77

XXXX Beers — XXXX beers. Wikimedia Commons

Inflation rate: 3.67%

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1993: $5.75

beer sports — Jon Callard holds a trophy and celebrates with the sponsor's beer. Dave Rogers/Allsport/Getty Images

Inflation rate: -0.21%

1994: $5.76

beer — President Bill Clinton enjoys a glass of beer in 1994. Greg Gibson/AP

Inflation rate: 0.17%

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1995: $5.78

beer bar 1995 — Joseph Abate takes a drink at McGee's Pub, located next to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, in 1995. Bebeto Matthews/AP

Inflation rate: 0.31%

1996: $5.92

beer — San Diego Padres pitcher Fernando Valenzuela is doused with beer in 1996 in Los Angeles. Damian Dovarganes/AP

Inflation rate: 2.48%

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1997: $5.95

beer — A man holding a pint of a lager in 1997. Steve Eason/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 0.49%

1998: $5.96

beer bottles — Bottles of Beck's beer stand on display. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 0.20%

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1999: $6.10

smoking beer — Robert Kemp lights a cigarette at the Churchills bar in Miami. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 2.33%

2000: $6.30

beer — An employee at the Cambridge Brewing Company pours a microbrew in 2000. Darren McCollester/Newsmakers/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 3.24%

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2001: $6.46

beer — Gary Bougen drinks a beer at the Churchills bar in Miami. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 2.48%

2002: $6.62

beer 2002 — Students enjoy a few beers in 2002 at a pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Neal Hamberg/AP

Inflation rate: 2.47%

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2003: $6.77

beer 2003 — Yuengling's lager is on tap at the Cinema & Drafthouse in West Hazelton, Pennsylvania, in 2003. Carolyn Kaster/AP

Inflation rate: 2.30%

2004: $7.02

beer 2004 — Friends drink Pabst Blue Ribbon beer at Betty's Food and Spirits in Columbus, Ohio, in 2004. Terry Gilliam/AP

Inflation rate: 3.63%

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2005: $7.09

beer 2005 — The owner of Junior's Beer and Wine takes an order over the phone in 2005, in Austin, Texas. Harry Cabluck/AP

Inflation rate: 1%

2006: $7.16

beer 2006 — Beer being delivered to a store in Whiteclay, Nebraska, in 2006. Nati Harnik/AP

Inflation rate: 1%

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2007: $7.40

beer — Packs of Coors Light and Coors beer share space in a cooler in a liquor store in southeast Denver in 2007. David Zalubowski/AP

Inflation rate: 3.37%

2008: $7.65

beer 2008 — Carl Raskin pours a craft beer during a tasting in 2008 at his Elegance wine and antiques shop in Grants Pass, Oregon. Jeff Barnard/AP

Inflation rate: 3.36%

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2009: $7.93

beer factory 2009 — David Kovalchick loads bottles of beer into cases at the Flying Fish Brewing Co. headquarters in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, in 2009. Mike Derer/AP

Inflation rate: 3.75%

2010: $8.07

beer 2010 — Veronica Bechtold of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, wears a crown of hops as she sips a beer at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver in 2010. Ed Andrieski/AP

Inflation rate: 1.80%

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2011: $8.19

beer cans 2011 — Cans of beer are sorted at the Baxter Brewing Company in Lewiston, Maine, in 2011. Pat Wellenbach/AP

Inflation rate: 1.43%

2012: $8.34

beer 2012 — A truck driver delivers Heineken beer and other drinks in New York in 2012. Mark Lennihan/File/AP

Inflation rate: 1.82%

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2013: $8.48

beer alcohol grocery store 2013 — A selection of craft beers are shown on the shelves of Elite Beverages in Indianapolis in 2013. Michael Conroy/AP

Inflation rate: 1.68%

2014: $8.59

beer 2014 — Kevin O'Leary, co-owner of Ardent Craft Ales, takes a sample of persimmon beer at the facility in Richmond, Virginia. Steve Helber/AP

Inflation rate: 1.29%

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2015: $8.64

beer — A Chicago Cubs fan drinks a beer before the Cubs' spring-training baseball exhibition game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Mesa, Arizona, in 2015. Chris Carlson/AP

Inflation rate: 0.58%

2016: $8.80

beer — Brewer Stefano Daneri holds up a beer at Good People Brewing in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2016. Dave Martin/File/AP

Inflation rate: 1.82%

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2017: $8.96

drinking beer — Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots drinks beer during the Super Bowl victory parade in 2017 in Boston. Billie Weiss/Getty Images

Inflation rate: 1.82%

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2018: $9.03

beer — Actor Luke Evans unveils Stellaspace, Stella Artois' new sensory guide to mastering the art of mindful beer-sipping, in New York City in 2018. Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Stella Artois

Inflation rate: 0.86%

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