Background: It is a common belief that alcohol consumption can lead to chronic ailments. While research shows that the prevalence of alcohol consumption among immigrants is associated with acculturation, there is a gap in the research with respect to examining alcohol consumption patterns within subgroups of immigrants such as transnational immigrants. The purpose of this study was to elucidate perceptions of alcohol consumption amongst West African transnational immigrants. To our knowledge, there is a paucity of studies exploring this avenue in the arena of immigrant health. Method: We conducted a pilot study with focus groups in Chicago with 14 West African transnational immigrants (7 men and 7 women) from Ghana and Nigeria. The following inclusion criteria determined participation in the focus group: men and women aged 25 years old or older, who had lived in the US for at least 2 years, who had ties with friends or relatives back home and who communicated regularly through different means with those friends or relatives. We used the PEN-3 model as a theoretical framework for categorizing the recurrent themes. Result: Using one dimension of the PEN-3 model (i.e. Relationships and Expectations), participants shared that alcohol consumption has some medicinal value. We also found a gender bias associated with alcohol consumption. Participants commented on alcohol consumption as a way of socializing, though they highlighted that social settings (e.g. parties) allowed access to liquor without limitations. They asserted also that the influence of spiritual beliefs and religion discourage alcohol consumption.