New cans, new brands from Third Street

Money.

 

According to The Beer Institute's Brewers Almanac in 2011 (latest year's figures available online) "3.2 beer" made up about 3½% of total beer shipments in Minnesota (122.6k of 3.4m bbl). Doesn't seem like that big a deal. Now, Oklahoma, where over 90% of all beer is "3.2"...

 

Wow I did not know that about Oklahoma. Any idea why that is? I'm guessing the stronger licenses must be prohibitively more expensive and the masses there accept the 3.2?

 

Hey we all love our laws here in Minnesota. Who wouldn't rather buy 3.2 beer at a grocery store? And why in the world would anyone want to purchase a six pack of strong (non 3.2 beer) on a Sunday? That's nuts. Plan ahead. That would mean people in the liqour store business might have to work on Sundays like many other businesses that are open on Sundays. How fair would that be? I mean it's not like you can just walk into a gas station and buy tobacco products on Sundays. Why should alcohol be any different? We'd rather lose a ton of business on border cities like Duluth, St. Paul and Moorhead than allow people in the off-sale business the same opportunities that most other businesses in the state have. Maybe some day all states will be as smart as we are but I highly doubt it.

 

@ZAP, you speak as if these laws were made to benefit "we the people". Ha!

The low sales numbers in MN for 3.2 beer are irrelevant. It is not that 3.2 beer is a great business, it is that the liquor stores, including the munis, don't want to give up their exclusive right to sell the good stuff!

(I know your post was partially tongue in cheek...)

 

I'll definitely be looking for the Gold Light in the future

 

I just saw that, and on top of getting sued by the former brewmaster http://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2016/06/13/ex-brewer-sues-third-street-brewhouse/85822766/

 

I did not know that (#newmoney). So the Bud Light sold in gas stations is actually 4%? And regular bud light is 4.2%?

Why do people freak out about the lack of alcohol in gas station beer when there actually is no appreciable difference?

 

Correct. AB brews a slightly "lighter" version for markets/outlets that require 3.2 beer. From the Bit Light web site:

"Alcohol content will differ depending on the market in which the product is sold due to state regulations of permissible alcohol content. For example, in some markets, Bud Light may not exceed 3.2% alcohol by weight or 4% by volume."
​

In fact, Summit used to brew a 3.2 beer for gas stations. I tried it a few times (a Sunday purchase... ). It wasn't bad. I don't think they bottle a 3.2 anymore, though.

As to people freaking out, my guess is they were comparing 3.2 to 4.2, not knowing one was ABW and the other was ABV.