Nation's alcohol consumption on rise

The Lancet report predicts that China will surpass the United States in alcohol intake per capita by 2030, with Chinese adults projected to drink more than 10 liters annually on average and per capita consumption of alcohol in the US to drop to 9.5 liters. By then, about 77 percent of people in China are forecast to drink alcohol at least occasionally, compared with 73 percent in the US.

A recent report by major e-commerce platform Suning said that its sales of alcohol rose greatly last year. Wine was the most popular choice, followed by spirits and beer.

Sales of the Chinese liquor baijiu, which is commonly used for wedding banquets, have risen along with the price, with some 20 million couples marrying in China from 2010 to last year. Baijiu is more popular in lower-tier cities than in metropolises. The greatest demand is for bottles priced from 100 to 300 yuan ($15 to $44), the Suning report said.

Sales of beer and wine have also been steadily rising, especially high-quality or niche products such as imported wine and craft beer. Chinese women prefer fruit beer, nonalcoholic beer and sweet wine, with growth of all three exceeding the industry average.

US beer and spirits producer Alltech Beverage shipped its first Kentucky bourbon brand Town Branch to China in 2011.

Jonathan Ardoin, head of Alltech Beverage Division China, said middle-class Chinese are now ready to try spirits or beer from overseas, which wasn't the case when the company first arrived in the country. It now sells a range of imported drinks in China, and has also set up a factory in Hebei province.

"People are still drinking, but are willing to get out of their comfort zone," Ardoin said.

He added that alcohol is a good "palliative solution" to relieve pressure for people who are constantly under stress, and Chinese consumers are following a global trend that has led to increased demand for imported alcoholic beverages.

Sales of Scotch whisky are falling in Europe and the US, while Irish whiskey is the industry's fastest-growing market. Alltech has received many inquiries from China and began importing a range of Irish whiskey into the country this year, he said.

"About three years ago, Chinese consumers began to develop a passion for cocktail bars, and in Guangdong province at least 200 such bars have opened in the past 18 months," he said.