CALGARY - Canadians are drowning their recession sorrows with increasing amounts of booze, booming national alcohol sales suggest.

Last October, when a market meltdown cemented the onset of recession, sales of wine, beer and spirits at large Canadian retailers bubbled up by 17.3% over the same month in 2007, says Statistics Canada.

The survey included chains like Sobey's, Canada Safeway, Loblaw Group -- which operates Real Canadian Superstores -- and Costco Wholesale.

The survey, said StatsCan analyst Ruth Barnes, covers only a small portion of the total Canadian liquor sales.

"This survey represents ... 4.7% of the total retail sales for alcoholic beverages in Canada," said Barnes.

But the increase almost precisely echoes liquor sale trends during the 1982 economic downturn.

And some local booze merchants say they're seeing similar tendencies in their business.

Sales are brisk but cost-wary consumers seem to be edging away from luxury hooch, said Chris How, manager of the Willow Park Wine & Spirits at 10801 Bonaventure Dr. S.E.

"So far this year, we're up 10%, which nobody expected," said How.

"They're going for the Glennfiddich at $40 rather than the $100 Scotch.

"It's quantity over quality."

How said the business appears to be recession-proof.

Some addictions experts fear the trend during tough economic times is towards more binge drinking instead of casual imbibing.

And at least one purveyor of do-it-yourself wine kits, Steven Sexsmith, believes fiscal uncertainties are playing in his favour as more people say they're going out less to drink and staying home more to do so.

"We're up again in sales in '08 ... I can see a lot of people getting into this," said Sexsmith, owner of The Wine Warehouse, 1231 36 Ave. N.E.

"From what I'm hearing from the manufacturers, it's headed in that direction."

When dealing with alcohol, "it's always going to be pretty recession-immune," added Sexsmith.

StatsCan figures also show booze sales among the large retailers increased 3.3% in the third quarter of 2008 over the same period in the previous year.

In 2007, Alberta nearly doubled the national average in alcohol sales growth with an increase of 10.3% compared to 5.2%.