In the paper the comparison of production and employment in the beer, spirit and wine industries in the years 1987 and 2002 are presented. The structure of alcohol beverages consumption per capita in the years 1988, 1995, 2000, 2002 and 2003 and the reasons of differences in this consumption are discussed. The trends in the consumption of alcohol beverages and perspectives of this consumption in 2004 are discussed. The comparison of financial indexes of alcohol beverages producers in the years 2001-2003 and investment expenses in the spirit beverages production in the years 2000-2003 are presented. The menaces for Polish alcohol industry following the polish access into European Union are discussed.