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U.S. NEWS Friday 1 November 2019

Last call: Utah is set to tap out on low-alcohol beer sales

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST before the formal end of ers are happy to welcome
Associated Press Prohibition in 1933. brands like Sam Adams
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The "Frankly, it's a very arbitrary and Firestone Walker in gro-
first change to beer alco- number," she said. cery stores for the first time,
hol limits since the end of Still, most states used it said Mike Riedel, who writes
Prohibition nearly a century as a guide as they made the Utah Beer Blog.
ago is coming to Utah. their own laws. That start- "I hope it's not another 86
The state will become the ed to change in the 1980s years before something
next-to-last in the country with the beginnings of the else changes," he said.
to say goodbye to lower-al- craft beer movement and With some brands mov-
cohol 3.2% beer on Friday, gained steam after the ing to private stores, Utah
when drinkers welcome year 2000. The last few rules mean state-owned
new, slightly stronger brews dominos fell with Oklaho- outlets may have to dump
to grocery stores, gas sta- ma, Colorado and Kansas any 3.2% beer that isn't
tions and bars. making the switch in recent sold by midnight Thursday.
Lawmakers have raised years. Customers have been
the limits to a still-low 4% by In the last remaining hold- Budweiser's iconic Clydesdales make a special trip to Utah snapping up those beers
weight, yielding as large out, Minnesota Republican to celebrate the changing beer laws in the state, joined by a at bargain prices or gaz-
breweries decided to stop Sen. Karin Housley said she "ghoulish group of pallbearers," Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, for ing at empty shelves ready
making lower-alcohol suds would "aggressively pursue a funeral procession for Utah's last remaining 3.2 percent beer, for the new stock. For local
for a market that's shrinking legislation to modernize our in Salt Lake City, as the state prepares to start selling 4 percent brewers, the change has
alcohol-by-weight in grocery and convenience stores starting
amid changing laws. The state's antiquated liquor Friday. caused some headaches,
change leaves Minnesota laws" during the next legis- Associated Press but it will also allow them
as the last state to have lative session. more creativity, said Nicole
3.2% beer. In Utah, the state's predom- the lowest DUI threshold in also measured as 5% by Dicou, executive director
Almost the entire country inant religious faith, The the country at .05%. volume, was a compromise of the Utah Brewer's Guild.
once had similar limits, said Church of Jesus Christ of This year, though, big retail- with the influential church, "We're kind of reaching a
Maureen Ogle, author of Latter-day Saints, teaches ers like Wal-Mart and oth- which had opposed going new normal here in Utah,"
"Ambitious Brew: A History abstinence from alcohol ers pushed for changes so higher. she said. "We're not go-
of American Beer." It was and strict liquor laws con- they could keep their stores The deal left serious craft ing to be the ones left out
set by Congress to allow tinue to hold sway. Last stocked with national beer beer fans somewhat disap- of the national trends and
lighter brews to be made year, lawmakers passed brands. The new 4% limit, pointed, but many drink- conversations."q