How much liquor Ohioans bought in 2024 and what brands were the most popular
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Data from the Ohio Department of Commerce reveals how much hard liquor residents bought last year and what brands were the most popular.
In 2024, Ohioans bought 16.4 million gallons of liquor, which marks a 2.6% decrease from 16.8 million gallons in 2023.
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While last year was the third year in a row of declined sales, the department — which oversees the state's liquor agency Ohio Liquor (OHLQ) — noted the number of gallons sold in 2021 (17.3 million) amid the COVID-19 pandemic was higher than the norm. The number of gallons sold in 2024 still surpasses the 15.2 million gallons that were sold in 2019 before the pandemic.
In 2024, about 4 million gallons were sold to restaurants, bars and others who buy wholesale — a 3.4% decrease from the previous year. About 12.4 million gallons were bought from retailers such as grocery and liquor stores, which is down 2.3% compared with 2023.
Ohio's decline in liquor sales is following a national trend, with the Distilled Spirits Council reporting spending on liquor fell 1.1% throughout the country in 2024. This marked the first revenue decline the association has reported since it began releasing economic briefings in 2004.
A 2024 poll by Gallup, an American analytics company, revealed that an increasing number of citizens believe that drinking alcohol in moderation is bad for one's health, and that self-reported alcohol use among young adults is trending downwards.
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When it comes to what Ohioans did drink in 2024, Tito's vodka took the top spot by a wide margin, with 1.4 million gallons purchased. Completing the top 10 liquor brands that saw the most gallons sold are Crown Royal (815,455), Smirnoff (547,231), Jack Daniels (437,575), Jim Beam (394,519), Jose Cuervo Especial (353,846), Fireball (318,390), Absolut (302,460), New Amsterdam (265,177) and Evan Williams (241,884).
Vodka was the most popular spirit amongst residents, followed by American whiskey (3.2 million gallons) and tequila (2.6 million gallons). While vodka was Ohioans' top choice of liquor, residents spent the most money on whiskey, which is commonly more expensive than other types of liquor. Residents spent about $439 million on American whiskey, $404 million on tequila and $361 million on vodka.
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