2020 has been record year for liquor sales in Iowa

With the holiday season ongoing and New Year's Eve approaching, liquor stores have stocked up after seeing record-setting liquor sales in 2020.

Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits Manager Brandon Cummings in Mt. Pleasant said the store is absolutely stocking up for the holidays. With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down bars and other drinking establishments, Cummings said people are buying more and drinking from home.

There are certain products Cummings said the store is struggling to keep in stock because of supply issues and an aluminum shortage.

'We'll see what the foreseeable future holds, but we try to stock up as much as possible,” he said.

Officials in the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division said in a report that liquor sales totaled $367.3 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30 - an increase of 8.2 percent over the previous fiscal year. Those record sales compared with $339.5 million in fiscal 2019, meaning the division transferred more than $133 million to the state's general fund.

'We've had huge numbers since COVID,” said division Administrator Stephen Larson, who noted the current fiscal year that started July 1 likely will be even bigger with liquor sales running up to 16 percent higher than the fiscal 2020 record pace. 'We're seeing patterns of increased purchasing of beer, wine and spirits.”

The surging consumption of alcoholic beverages that began last March corresponded with Gov. Kim Reynold's public health emergency proclamations and was rooted in part to changing consumer behaviors brought on by the pandemic that 'created outliers in regards to profits and consumption.”

'We can't measure that, but I can tell you that behavior changed so people went home to drink where in the old days they would stop at their local pub and have a few. And so they're having a few at home and they might add on a couple more at home because there's nothing to do,” Larson said. 'Because they're working at home, they get off at 4:30, they may start a little earlier.”

During the summer, seltzers and beer were popular, Cummings, the Mt. Pleasant liquor manager, said, but through the winter season bourbons and whiskeys are more popular.

According to the agency, American vodka, Canadian whiskey and spiced rum continued to be the top three categories of spirits in Iowa measured by gallons sold during fiscal 2020.

Black Velvet Canadian Whisky, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Captain Morgan's Original Spiced Rum, Hawkeye Vodka and Fireball Cinnamon Whisky were the top-selling brands, while Blue Ox Vodka was the top selling Iowa-made spirit. The Top 50 brands sold in Iowa accounted for more than 60 percent of the yearly sales.

According to the agency, Washington County ranked 32nd in total gallons sold per county, with 34,786, a 4 percent increase compared to the prior year. Henry County ranked 43rd and Jefferson County ranked 50th. Jefferson County had a 23 percent increase in gallons sold, going from 17,714 to 21,713.

Rod Boshart of The Gazette contributed to this report,