According to a new article from KCRG, Iowans drank a LOT in 2022!  A new report from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division says that there was a 3.75% increase in liquor sales this year, totaling around $431 million.

If you're wondering what liquors Iowans were enjoying the most this year, the answer is Tito's Vodka, followed by Black Velvet. This is actually the first time in a long time that Black Velvet didn't win the top spot! I guess Iowans really love their Canadian whiskey. Here are the top five brands that we purchased this year:

  1. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
  2. Black Velvet Canadian Whiskey
  3. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
  4. Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey
  5. Hawkeye Vodka

As far as Iowa-made liquors go, I assumed that Cedar Ridge would be at the top of the list. I was wrong! Cedar Ridge Bourbon, which is made in Swisher, came in third place. Grimes-based Blue Ox Vodka ranked first, followed by Gotcha Vodka from Dehner Distillery in Clive. Rounding out the top five are Swell Vodka and Prairie Fire Cinnamon Whiskey from Iowa Distilling Company in Cumming. I was also surprised to discover that Hawkeye Vodka isn't made in Iowa! It's actually distilled in St. Louis, Missouri.

Now, let's find out who's drinking the most liquor here in Iowa. It's no shock that Polk County, the home of Iowa's capital Des Moines, came in first place with $100,355,099 in sales. But, it is a little surprising that their number is so much higher than second place, which is Linn County. Linn County's amount is $36,594,345. That's more than $60,000 less than Polk County! Scott, Johnson, and Black Hawk round out the top five.

What liquor brand did you drink the most this year? Let us know in the comments! You can check out the rest of the top liquors in Iowa this year HERE.

New Restaurants That Have Opened in Eastern Iowa in 2022

The next time you're looking for a new place to go eat, you might want to check out this list! A ton of new restaurants have opened in the Cedar Rapids area this year, with even more on the way in early 2023. Here are the the places that began welcoming customers in 2022:

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