Liquor Sales Passed Beer Sales for the First Time Ever

If you’re grabbing a drink during the Super Bowl this year, there’s a pretty good chance you may be reaching for the “hard stuff”. Liquor sales just passed beer sales for the first time ever in the U.S. Last year “Spirits” made up 42.1% of all alcohol sales compared to beer at 41.9%. Wine is a distant third at 16%. Tequila and mezcal had the biggest gains, followed by whiskey. Gin sales also jumped, while sales of vodka and rum stayed pretty flat. Brandy and cognac were the only types of booze that saw a significant drop in popularity.