Cocktail Helps Liquor Vanquish Beer in US

choi

Tripp Mickle, Cocktails Sip Away at Beer Market; Liquor industry makes remarkable comeback, helped by TV ads, fickle young drinkers. Wall Street Journal, Feb 16, 2016,
http://www.wsj.com/articles/cock ... et-share-1455585240

four consecutive paragraphs:

"Despite the craft beer craze, beer lost a portion of its share of US alcohol revenue in 2015 to liquor for the sixth consecutive year and the 12th time in the past 15 years, according to data released this month by the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. Beer’s market share fell to 48% last year from 56% in 2000. Liquor has risen to 35% from 29% and wine to 17% from 16%.

"The liquor industry—once the pariah of the alcohol world—has been steadily gaining popularity due to a major cocktail renaissance, a return to television advertising, and because of fickle young drinkers like Mr. Knauss whose generation switches between beer, whiskey and wine more frequently than ever before.

" 'Among baby boomers, the guy who has been drinking beer since he was 25 years old is still drinking beer, but younger generations consume differently,' said Eric Penicka, an analyst with Euromonitor, an independent research firm. 'They’re not loyal to an alcohol type.'

"Total alcohol revenue for producers rose 30% over the past 10 years to $68 billion from $52.2 billion. Of that, liquor increased 40% to $24.1 billion; wine rose 35% to $11.6 billion; and beer rose 23% to $32.3 billion.

My comment:
(a) The only bar chart of the report: "Lifting Spirits [heading:] Growth of cocktail-friendly liquors like bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, tequila and cognac have [sic, should be 'has'] helped spirits take share from beer in recent years. Sale volume of 9-liter cases in the US.
(b) distilled beverage
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_beverage
(also known as spirit, liquor)
(c) There is no need to read the rest, although the report is not locked.