USA, Oregon: Beer manufacturers and importers sold more than 16.9 million gallons of beer to the state's wholesale distributors in the first quarter of 2004, according to Oregon Liquor Control Commission statistics. Tallied in kegs and cases, that's the equivalent of 546,246 thirty-one gallon barrels, and a drop of 5 % from the 576,922 barrels sold during first quarter 2003. The OLCC collects privilege taxes of $2.60 per barrel at the time of sale to wholesalers, Bend.com posted on June 17.

The top national beer sellers were: Anheuser-Busch, 190,806 barrels; Coors Brewing, 103,897; Miller Brewing, 79,153; and Pabst, 29,970. Top Oregon sellers were: Deschutes Brewery, 14,646 barrels; Widmer Brewing, 14,262; Portland Brewing, 5,169; Bridgeport Brewing, 5,033; and Full Sail, 3,440.

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