Recession Making Americans Thirst for Cheaper Booze
Go to a club in New York City and order a drink - no, not a Shirley Temple - a real drink. I'm talking hooch, ice, and a mixer. Go on, try it.
But, don't be shocked if that cocktail costs you more than $10, plus tip. That's why today, amidst a major U.S. recession, a lot of people are partying at home, and doing it with cheaper, knockoff liquor.
An alcohol industry group says the financial squeeze has many Americans putting the cork on pricey booze, like Grey Goose vodka. And instead turning to the hobo special Popov, that runs for less than $10 for a fifth. I've seen it at $8.
People are going for budget tequila too, i.e. the devil's drink. Classy booze like Patron is staying on the top shelf, and low cost stuff like Jose Cuervo - ick, I just got a shiver - are the rise. Sales of cheap tequila rose 21% last year.
So, it's good news for liquor producers - bad for our livers - that even in a down economy, people are looking for a good time, or just to get away from it all.
It sucks for young people. A couple years ago I was drinking martinis at the pub. Now I bar hop from friend's house to friend's house, with a case of light beer under my arm - hard to meet chicks that way!
Via the Associated Press.
My husband's all about cheap beer. His favorite is Hamm's, which retails for $12.47/30 pack. It's not THE cheapest beer out there, but it's by far the best-tasting for the price.
Reply