Friday, January 21, 2005

It Must Have Been All Those Political Ads

The Plain Dealer reports:

Drinkers guzzled 9.4 million gallons of hard booze in 2004, shelling out $571 million and breaking all previous sales records, the Division of Liquor Control in the Ohio Depart- ment of Commerce reported Thursday.

The sales of spirituous liquor, defined by the more than 21 percent alcohol contained in the bottles, topped 2003's record of $536 million by 6.5 percent, or $35 million.

"It's the highest dollar sales the division has ever had," said liquor division spokesman Matt Mullins.