Pass the vodka, say DIY drinkers

Following last month's tax hike on ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol products, also known as alcopops, Ms Crowley's choice reflects a growing preference for do-it-yourself mixing among alcohol consumers.

While national alcopop sales plummeted by almost 40 per cent in the fortnight after the Rudd Government lifted the excise on the drinks, liquor stores across Brisbane have reported a 20 per cent jump in stronger, straight spirit sales.

"Why would we spend more money on pre-mixed drinks, when we can buy better and more alcohol for the same price?" Ms Crowley said.

The first national data on alcohol sales released today by the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (DSICA) confirmed consumer logic had all but nullified the government's bid to curb binge drinking by young people by raising the tax.

Read More