Grocers, liquor stores selling beer with 8% alcohol

Eastern Iowa supermarkets, grocery and liquor stores have begun carrying beer with 8 percent alcohol content.

A law passed by the Iowa Legislature in March and signed into law by Gov. Chet Culver allows beer wholesalers like 3G Distributing and Fleck Sales in Cedar Rapids to stock beer with higher alcohol content. Previously, beer that had more than 5 percent alcohol content was only available through the state Alcoholic Beverages Division.

Larry Welp, owner of Jim's Foods, 812 Sixth St. SW in Cedar Rapids, said his store has begun carrying several brands of the higher alcohol content beverage.

“We have Hurricane HG, which is available in a 40-ounce bottle,  and Colt 45 Malt, which is available in a 24-ounce can,” Welp said. “There's also some new items. One is called Four Loko (12 percent alcohol) and the other is called Sparks (6 percent alcohol).

“They're basically a flavored energy drink with a higher percentage of alcohol.”

Randy Hunt, vice president of sales and marketing for 3G Distributing (formerly Dale Lee Distributing) in Cedar Rapids, said Hy-Vee Drug Stores and Benz Beverage Depot also are carrying the higher alcohol content beer. So is Johncy's Liquor Store, with locations in North Liberty and Solon.

“It's a packaged product that makes it more of a carryout item,” Hunt said. “I'm sure there will be some bars that will pick up on it, but typically someone wanting a higher alcohol content will order a glass of wine or get a mixed drink at a bar.”

Hunt said Anheuser-Busch  is distributing a Blueberry Lager, Wild Blue, that has 8 percent alcohol  content. He said additional higher alcohol content beers are headed to the market.

“These are malt beverages like beer, which the state decided to open up to the wholesalers to handle,” Hunt said. “I think people are looking for something with a little more alcohol, but I'm not sure it will increase sales.

“It may actually lead to lower consumption because it will take less to get the same amount of alcohol.”

The same law that allows wholesalers to stock higher alcohol content beers also permits microbreweries to make beer with up to 12 percent alcohol content.

Some brewpubs and microbreweries like Granite City Food & Brewery in northeast Cedar Rapids are limiting customers to two glasses of the higher alcohol content beer.

Hunt said that limit makes a lot of sense to him.

“They don't want someone overindulging and then going out and hurting themselves or someone else,” he said.