Dayton Business Journal...
Ohio booze sales jump, vodka brand remains top seller
Thursday, January 19, 2012 

Liquor sales in Ohio hit record levels in 2011 as more drinkers reached for the top shelf. 

Sales of liquor containing at least 21 percent alcohol by volume increased $40 million, or 5.3 percent, to $793.7 million in 2011, the Ohio Department of Commerce said Thursday. The cash boost outpaced the state’s overall consumption, which increased 3.9 percent to 11.4 million gallons. 

The sales bump helped the state net about $237 million in the fiscal year that ended last June, said Matt Mullins, a Department of Liquor Control spokesman. The sales increase from the second half of the 2011 calendar year will be calculated as revenue in the state’s current fiscal year, he said. 

“This is a positive indicator for Ohio’s economy, showing that Ohioans are again patronizing restaurants and entertainment businesses,” Commerce Director David Goodman said in a release. “As consumer tastes become increasingly more sophisticated, they tend to buy more of the premium products.” 

The Dayton region has got into the liquor industry as Buckeye Vodka launched last year. The Dayton-based spirit has seen sales jump since it rolled out last April. 

Wholesale liquor recovered in 2011 after seeing decreases in the state in three of the last four years, the department reported. Wholesale dollar figures jumped 4.7 percent to $244 million. 

By volume, Kamchatka Vodka was again the highest selling brand of spirituous liquor in Ohio last year. 

“Whether linked to expanded happy hour offerings or a larger selection of flavored spirits, consumers appear to be enjoying more specialty drinks and pairing their meals with more sophisticated products,” Ohio Restaurant Association Spokesman Jarrod Clabaugh said in a release. 

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