MORE WHINES: Store owners report increased sales...

MORE WHINES: Store owners report increased sales to beat Tuesday’s liquor tax hike. The federal excise tax on beer goes from 16 cents to 33 cents per six-pack. Higher levies on wine and liquor vary depending on the bottle size and alcohol content. . . . Many wholesalers are raising their prices, too, hoping the consumer will blame the government for the entire increase, says one salesman. “You can tell which ones are buying to beat the tax hike,” says another. “They’re buying four and five cases of the same item.”