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Utah among final holdouts selling 3.2 beer as new Colorado law takes effect

Posted at 11:46 AM, Jan 01, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-01 22:28:47-05

Utah is among the final holdouts selling 3.2-beer in 2019 as Colorado rings in the new year with full-strength brews.

KDVR reports a new law in effect January 1 allows grocery stores in Colorado to sell full-strength beer instead of 3.2.

“It’s a fabulous day,” David Coors, president of A.C. Golden Brewing Company, told KDVR. “Pretty remarkable if you know the history of the beer industry. Our family has been brewing beer since before Colorado was a state.”

Oklahoma stopped selling 3.2 beer on October 1 of 2018.

Kansas has passed similar legislation moving away from 3.2 beer, and that change will take effect April 1.

With fewer markets for 3.2 beer, Utah is seeing increasing pressure to make a change. Walmart recently joined that push, asking customers in Utah to let their legislators know if they want the option to purchase full-strength beer in grocery and convenience stores rather than just in state-run liquor stores.

Kate Bradshaw, director of a coalition representing major beer retailers, told Fox 13 in December several varieties of 3.2 beer are already being discontinued:

  • Corona bottles in a six-pack
  • Bud Light six pack cans
  • Redd’s Apple Ale half barrel
  • Redd’s Raspberry Ale bottles and 16 oz. cans in 24-packs
  • Redd’s Blueberry Ale in 16 oz. cans in 24-packs
  • Some seasonal brews