This articles explores the merits and problems of survey research in analysing national alcohol consumption. Whereas sales and taxation records usually provide the macro-level data for estimating alcohol consumption in a country as a whole, this data say very little about both the distribution of alcohol consumption with smaller social groups or the consumption of alcohol that is not registered by sales or taxes (such as the consumption of alcohol abroad or contraband liquor). However, survey research into alcohol consumption faces significant challenges: typically, alcohol consumption reported in surveys accounts for about 40-60% of overall consumption. The article evaluates, assesses and compares different survey and questionaire methods aimed at minimizing the problem of underreporting of alcohol consumption. These methods combine both conventional positivist as well as more interpretative approaches.