Drinking habits of students have changed, reflecting a trend of higher-priced tastes and more mixed drinks.

Liquor and wine sales are up about 6 percent to 7 percent from last year, while beer sales are down nearly 1 percent, according to a recently released state report. Students and local alcohol retailers said they have seen the trend in Ames.

Dennis Gano, owner of Cyclone Liquors, 626 Lincoln Way, said he’s seen an increase in more expensive alcohol products and a decrease in kegs and cheaper beer. Gano said he sells more five-gallon kegs filled with higher-end beer than regular or pony kegs of cheap beer.

“I’ve seen higher sales in beer, like micro-breweries — not run-of-the-mill beer; and wines have increased,” Gano said. “People are stepping up and spending more money.”

Tom Zmolek, owner of the Keg Shop, 218 Welch Ave. No. 3, said he’s also seen an increase in the sales of liquor and wine. He added that Jagermeister, Captain Morgan and cheap, lower-end vodka are his top sellers.

“Students are buying a lot more liquor than anything else,” Zmolek said.

“Jagermeister has changed from a bar-only drink to people buying a bottle with a four-pack of Red Bull. We used to sell hardly any Jagermeister, but now we sell a substantial amount.”

Ali Oswald, senior in management, said she drinks liquor as opposed to beer because it tastes better and takes effect quicker.

“I never drink beer unless I’m already drunk and it tastes like water,” she said. “At the bar, I drink E & J Brandy mixed with Coca-Cola because it gets you drunk faster.”

Denise Denton, prevention specialist for Youth and Shelter Services Inc., said alcohol mixed with carbonated drinks can cause impairment faster.

“Carbonation makes a difference and that’s why people become more impaired with whiskey and Coke versus whiskey and water, or vodka and 7-Up versus vodka and orange juice,” she said.

Denton said a health risk everyone should be aware of when drinking liqour is the burning sensation one feels when consuming a shot going, as the liquor is actually burning the throat.

“The burning sensation is actually your esophagus being burned away. The more concentrated the shot, the more toxic it is to human tissue,” she said.

“Your esophagus can rupture from the high concentration and that can be fatal.”

Adam Sander, senior in management, said he usually drinks whatever is on special, but prefers Miller Lite or Long Island iced teas, and Todd Simons, junior in finance, said he usually only drinks Bud Light or Busch Light.

“Beer tastes better, but liquor gets you drunk faster,” Sander said.

Denton said he doesn’t think there is really a difference between liquor and beer except liquor has a higher concentration of alcohol per volume.

“People don’t get impaired as quickly when drinking beer, but the end result is just the same,” she said.

“It’s easy to do five shots in a row because it is just swallows, so drinking beer takes longer to impair because there are more swallows involved. The ease of shots increases binge drinking.”