Irish consumers' taste for wine and spirits is growing, a new report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) shows.
Spirits made up a 19.8% share of the alcohol market last year, an increase of 3.6% on the previous year.
Wine comprised 27.7% of the market, a 0.4% on 2016, but DIGI noted that wine was only 14.3% of the market in 2001 and so has almost doubled in 16 years.
Beer remains the most popular drink here, making up a 44.8% share of the total drinks market last year. However, the amount of beer consumed was down 2.1% on 2016.
The new report shows that average per adult alcohol consumption in 2017 was 11.080 litres of pure alcohol, down by 1.4% on the previous year.
It noted that this is a 23% decrease from 2001, and a 17.9% fall since 2007.
Donal O'Keeffe, Secretary of DIGI and CEO of the Licensed Vintners Association, said the report demonstrated the diversity of the Irish drinks market.
"The Irish drinks market is highly competitive and constantly evolving in line with consumer preferences and tastes," Mr O'Keeffe said.
"What we’ve witnessed over the last decade, but particularly over the last five years, is the growth of a nationwide network of businesses flexible and eager to serve shifts in consumer taste, and develop new, innovative products and services," he added.
92,000 people work in the drinks industry in Ireland and the combined hospitality sector, which includes pubs, hotels, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, retailers, manufacturers and distributors, employs almost 210,000 people across the country.
That accounts for 10% of all jobs in the country and is worth €1.25 billion of exports a year.
But Donal O'Keeffe said that the industry is facing uncertainty as Brexit is making it harder for exporters to plan for the future.
"If it's harder to trade with Great Britain or Northern Ireland, and sterling remains weak, revenues will decline due to trade barriers and a decrease in overseas visitors," he cautioned.
