While statewide consumption of spirituous liquor in 2003 rose from the previous year, Ohio is still among the driest states in per capita consumption, according to a beverage industry report.
Total dollar sales for 2003 were $536 million, breaking 2002's record of $509 million. Total gallon sales were approximately 9 million gallons, 3.2 percent higher than 2002, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce.
Spirituous liquor is classified as intoxicating liquor containing more than 21 percent alcohol by volume, spokesman Matt Mullins said.
We've seen a slight increase in consumption
but the level of consumption is still not what it was in the 80s and early 90s he said.
Ehran Amrine, a bartender at Applebee's in Marietta, said students consume less liquor than older people.
If you had students drinking as much liquor as older people you'd have people dying
he said.
Ohio is ranked 49th in per capita consumption in 2002 out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Adams Handbook Advanced 2003, the most recent statistics available. Utah is 50th and West Virginia is 51st.
Athens County has two state liquor agencies, the Lucky Dog Carry Out & Drive-Thru, 309 West Union St., and the Nelsonville Pit-Stop Drive Thru, 1120 East Canal St., in Nelsonville.
The total sales in Athens County for 2003 was $3,273,297.47. The Lucky Dog's sales totaled $2,797,215.43, with the Pit-Stop's sales at $476,082.04. The estimated gallon sales for Athens County is 55,392 gallons.
Kamchatka Vodka was the best-selling liquor in Ohio with an estimated 360,295 gallons sold last year.
It is not a well-known brand, Mullins said, typically used in mixed drinks such as screwdrivers and not usually ordered by name.
Jagermeister made the top 10 liquor brands sold list for the first time, selling about 229,622 gallons, the eighth-highest selling liquor.
Seagrams 7 Crown Whiskey was bumped from the list.
Jagermeister has been around for a long time, Amrine said, but has become popular recently because of Jager Bombs, a combination of Jagermeister and Red Bull.
If you go to any bar
you can get them
he said.
The rest of the list included Jack Daniels #7 Black Label Tennessee Whiskey, Bacardi Light-Dry Rum, Absolut Vodka, Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey, Jim Beam Straight Bourbon, Korski Vodka, Jagermeister, Captain Morgan Spiced Gold and Smirnoff Vodka.
Ohio University junior Ashley White joked that her boyfriend bought about half of all the Captain Morgan rum sold last year.
Amrine said students are more likely to drink Bacardi and Captain Morgan, while Jack Daniels and Jim Bean are typically drunk more by middle-aged people.
The Lucky Dog and Pit-Stop declined to comment.
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Jeffrey Fitzwater
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