The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate individual risk factors in the development of alcohol preference in rats in conditions of voluntary alcohol intake. For 2 months, 15 mature male Wistar rats were deprived of access to any liquid except for a specially allocated time. A day later a two-bottle preference test (TBT) was performed with water and 10% ethanol solution. After 2 months of voluntary alcohol intake the rats during one week were kept under constant access to water, and after that a final TBT was conducted. Individual behavioral characteristics were assessed in the Open Field Test (OFT), social interaction test, and Marble burying test at the beginning, on the 14th day, and at the end of the study. According to the results of the last TBT, the rats were divided into three groups: those who preferred drinking alcohol (preferring alcohol, PA; n = 5, 26% and more), low alcohol drinkers (LA; n = 6, 1-11%) and those who did not drink alcohol (no drinkers (ND); n = 4, 0% of alcohol). In contrast to PA and ND, the LA rats actively tried alcohol at its first presentation, but consumed it significantly fewer during the second test. The PA rats, on the contrary, dramatically increased alcohol intake after a non-significant consumption during the first tasting. Behavioral parameters of the PA rats were characterized by lower exploratory activity, less time spent in the center of the OF, and lower percentage of alcohol consumed in the first TBT. This indicates the tendency of these rats to show a less active strategy in a novel situation and may indicate a higher level of anxiety. The LA rats, compared to ND and especially PA rats, spent much more time in the center of the OF, demonstrated a high percentage of alcohol intake in the first trial and a significant difference between the first two trials of ethanol in the TBT. The LA rats were distinguished by a higher level of social interaction, a larger number of buried balls, higher motor and exploratory activity, thus indicating an activating effect of small doses of ethanol on them. The study showed that the leading factor in subsequent alcohol preference is low animal adaptability which is manifested by a shorter time spent in the OF center and low ethanol intake during initial acquaintance with alcohol in novel conditions.