The American consumer has an increasingly exuberant embrace of certain affordable luxuries. These include expensive cocktails, popular imported wines, and tasty craft and imported beers.

According to the just released 2006 edition of the Adams Handbook Advance, U.S. distilled spirits consumption pushed implacably forward by 2.7% in 2005 to reach 170.0 million 9-liter cases. Wine consumption rose 2.2% to 273.9 million 9-liter cases. Only the immense domestic beer market failed to find similar favor, slipping a slight 0.5% to 2.83 billion 2.25-gallon cases.

"The party last year was still about flavor, on one hand, and brands, on the other," said publisher Charles Forman. "Spirits marketers have done an outstanding job cementing a relationship with the Cosmo generation of consumers--defining, refining, and up-scaling their brands to create long-term customers."

The top five imported wine brands jumped 11.3% last year, led by Australia's Yellow Tail, which gained 15.4%, or a million cases. Imports from Italy, Chile, Spain, Argentina all posted substantial gains.

"It's flavor again," said Forman. "And marketing. We like fruitiness; we like to be provoked and amused with marketing images. The overseas vintners have figured this out, especially how to give us high quality wines at moderate prices that American palates understand."

Meanwhile, beer marketers are looking in the mirror and scrambling to make adjustments. Premium beers with modest flavor profiles are slipping-an eventuality once considered unimaginable. On the other hand, light beer consumption continues to increase, albeit at a slow pace. Embrace of imports and craft brews continues strong.

According to the Adams Handbook Advance, U.S. imported beer consumption grew 5.5% last year. "There appears to be a massive shift in our tastes going on," said Forman. "We drink so much beer that it's always been the hardest market in which to move the needle." But once again, he said, a new taste for stronger flavors in our beverages appears to be doing the job.

Adams Handbook Advance 2006 is the first report available for consumption of spirits, wine, and beer for 2005. Category and state breakouts, brand data, retail sales and industry statistics are included.