According to IRI data, beer trends rebounded after an Easter holiday bump. Beer was up 3.9% a year ago and 6.3% compared to the week prior. Total beverage alcohol was up 6% in comparison to the prior year, and up 8% versus the prior week in dollar sales. Wine was up 14% and spirits up 6%, with RTDs up 5%. “As expected, strong Easter sales easily surpassed previous year comps,” said Scott Scanlon, IRI, Vice President, Information Resources. “It is likely the tremendous growth spike will subside back to the mean over the coming weeks as strong comps, along with inflationary concerns, continue to present challenges for the categories.” In wine, a report by industry data analytics company Gomberg & Fredrikson released in April showed dollar sales up 8% in 2021 over 2020, despite gloomy industry predictions. Total wine sales, including domestic and imported wine, were $78.4 billion, compared to the previous year’s figure of $67.3 billion. The figures were based on both domestic and imported on- and off-premise sales and direct-to-consumer shipments from wineries and U.S. winery cellar door sales.