Utah's 3.2 beer market can relax as other states introduce more light laws – St George News

Beer in a supermarket, Salt Lake City, Utah, utated. | Beer buns increase their mugs to a stronger brew in three states that once banned food retailers to sell anything but low-lying foods, alcohol brands, and the changes could indirectly chill the industry in Utah and another state, the only remaining markets where such rules remain.

Until October, Oklahoma food stores and convenience stores could store beer with only 3.2 percent alcohol content – significantly lower than even leading light beer brands. Liquor stores managed to sell stronger 8.99 percent beer, but were forbidden to sell cold beer of any strength.

Votes approved changes now allow stronger beers to be sold in Oklahoma grocery stores and convenience stores. And many of the changes are being adopted this year in the adjacent states of Colorado and Kansas.

Beer Revolution will leave only two states – Utah and Minnesota – where only 3.2 percent beer can be sold in grocery stores and convenience stores. Beer industry observers say how lawmakers in those states respond to the changes, can determine whether the future of low-point beer in the United States is as flat as an unknown stock. Half of the country's 3.2 beer market was in Oklahoma and another 20 percent was in Colorado.

"It's a dramatic decline," said Brett Robinson, president of beer retailers in Oklahoma, representing some beer retailers in the state. "In Oklahoma, now beer is just beer. There is no more definition or classification."

Oklahoma was the first of the country's five 3.2 beer states to switch the switch, representing a major shift for the state where alcohol was unlawful until the electorate abolished the public ban in 1959 – 26 years after the Prohibition was repealed nationally.

"It was a long time to come," said Lisette Barnes, president of the Oklahoma Beer Alliance, an industry association for the beer industry. "It's refreshing. I think overwhelming people are excited about it. It's been good for both industry and consumers."

As the market for "baby beer" continues to shrink, the brewers must decide whether it is profitable to continue doing so – a decision that can cause low-voltage beer supplies to dry up in Utah and Minnesota.

Anheuser-Busch, the world's largest beer producer, said it will work to meet consumer needs in 3.2 percent beer statistics, even in the event of declining demand.

"While we will continue to produce 3.2 percent beer, regulatory and regulatory changes in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas that affect the demand for 3.2 percent beer, will affect our national production, the company said in a statement in December.

But some breweries are already throwing back on their 3.2 percent beer production. Oklahoma City-based craft brews COOP Ale Works, which distributes in six states, including Oklahoma and Kansas, has completed two of its three 3.2 percent brewers. 19659004] "The only reason we produced the other two beers was to have beer in the grocery store and convenience stores," said Sean Mossman, COOP's sales and marketing director. "Now that we can sell our more popular styles in grocery stores, we just see no need to continue producing those beers."

And selling COOP's flagship beer in grocery stores "has been a blessing to us" Mossman said. He said the brewing business has increased 50 percent in the months after Oklahoma merchants began tightening their stronger beers. New regulations come into effect in Kansas in April, when grocery stores and convenience stores can start selling beer with a 6 percent alcohol content.

"In general, we are very happy about the 3.2 beer death," he said. "The death of 3.2 beers is good for us."

Dwindling low point brewing supplies are some state regulators have considered.

"That's the question we've been facing for some years." Sa Terry Wood, Communications Director of Utah's Alcoholic Beverage Control Department. "Decisive decisions can be made that make it only a financial choice for the breweries to stop producing 3.2 beers."

For now, low point jack will still be produced by New Belgium Brewing Co., a craft brewery based in Fort Collins, Colorado, spokesman Bryan Simpson said. The production of 3.2 percent represents only half of 1 percent of the brewery's total output, and the company will trade it exclusively to Utah, Simpson said.

"It makes sense for us to do it because we want a presence there," said Simpson. He said the company's breweries have already been set up to produce low-point beer and "there's no point in hitting the brakes."

Former Minnesota State Rep. Jenifer Loon, as writers of laws that lifted a long ban on Sunday fluid sales In 2017, the promising changes in other states are likely to force Minnesota legislators to consider allowing full strength beer in grocery stores and convenience stores.

" The market will probably control this. In the foreseeable future, it will probably be a change, says Loon.

Food companies have expressed support for selling strong beer in the past, but any attempt to expand beer sales is likely to be faced with stiff opposition, she said

"It has been very difficult to talk about drawing the liquor law into it 21st century, "Loon said.

Posted by TIM TALLEY, Associated Press. news@stgnews.com

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