Cold Beer Buying In Indiana: What's The Deal?

Indiana has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state has a long history of peculiar liquor laws, including a ban on Sunday carryout alcohol sales, which was repealed in 2018. Indiana is also one of the few states that regulate the sale of drinks based on temperature. While liquor stores are allowed to sell cold beer, grocery and convenience stores are not. This has led to creative attempts to circumvent the law, such as selling Chill Indiana Glacier Bags, which customers can fill with ice to cool their beer after purchase. The restriction on cold beer sales in grocery and convenience stores is due to the influence of the liquor store lobby, which argues that allowing cold beer sales in these stores would hurt their business. Despite polls showing that most Hoosiers want the law changed, the measure has not passed due to the lobbying power of the liquor industry.

Indiana's cold beer laws are the result of lobbying by liquor stores

Indiana is one of very few states that regulate the sale of drinks based on temperature. The state has a long history of peculiar liquor laws dating back to the mid-1800s. While the sale of alcohol by the drink was prohibited on Sundays until 2018, liquor stores have always been able to sell cold beer, an advantage they guard closely. Refrigerating beer not only makes it more refreshing but also keeps it fresher for longer.

The package liquor store lobby has successfully convinced lawmakers to take actions in its favour, most notably stopping the expansion of cold beer sales to grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies. This is despite polls consistently showing that most Hoosiers want that measure to pass. The lobby argues that remaining the state's exclusive outlets for cold beer sales keeps them in business.

In 2017, the Alcohol Code Revision Commission voted 8-7 in favour of expanding cold beer sales. However, the recommendation did not pass as it required a majority of its 17 members to vote in favour. Two members were absent, so the status quo remained.

In 2018, Indiana convenience store chain Ricker's exploited a loophole in the state's liquor law by offering prepared food on-site and having the requisite number of seats to qualify for a restaurant permit. This allowed two stores in Columbus and Sheridan to sell cold beer.

The same year, Sunday alcohol sales were legalised in the state. This was the result of a compromise between grocery stores and liquor stores. In return for being allowed to open on Sundays, the grocery stores and convenience stores backed off on cold beer sales.

The influence of the liquor lobby is evident in the state's laws. For example, grocery and drug store retailers are limited to selling no more than 864 ounces of beer per transaction. Additionally, establishments that sell beverages by the drink must have food service for a minimum of 25 people available at all times.

The liquor store lobby's power is further strengthened by the involvement of influential Indiana Republicans. In 2019, the state GOP chairman, Kyle Hupfer, and the former commerce secretary, Nate Feltman, joined a venture as minority partners with Indiana Liquor Group to purchase Save-on Liquor, a chain of 31 stores in north-central Indiana. While they deny any conflict of interest, political and ethics experts believe their involvement creates the potential for a conflict of interest for lawmakers.

As a result of lobbying by liquor stores and their allies, Indiana's cold beer laws remain highly restrictive, to the frustration of consumers and competitors in the alcohol industry.

A compromise was reached between grocery and liquor stores

Indiana's liquor laws have been a source of contention for many years, with grocery and convenience stores vying to get in on the cold beer sales that were previously the exclusive domain of liquor stores. The liquor lobby has been successful in keeping cold beer sales out of grocery and convenience stores, despite polls showing that most Hoosiers want the measure to pass.

In the ongoing battle between the liquor lobby and the grocery lobby, a compromise was reached. The grocery lobby agreed to stop advocating for cold beer sales in exchange for the liquor lobby dropping its opposition to expanding Sunday carryout sales. This compromise allowed lawmakers to pass a bill allowing Sunday carryout sales, while keeping cold beer sales out of grocery stores.

The compromise was a result of give-and-take negotiations between the two industries. The liquor lobby wanted to maintain its monopoly on cold beer sales, while the grocery lobby sought to expand its alcohol sales offerings. By agreeing to maintain the status quo on cold beer sales, the grocery lobby gained the concession of Sunday carryout sales.

While the compromise was a win for the liquor lobby in terms of cold beer sales, it also demonstrated the influence and power of the grocery lobby in Indiana politics. The grocery lobby's willingness to negotiate and compromise showed its recognition of the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the liquor lobby. By agreeing to back down on cold beer sales, the grocery lobby gained the support of the liquor lobby for its own legislative priorities, such as Sunday carryout sales.

The compromise between the grocery and liquor lobbies was a complex and delicate negotiation, involving trade-offs and concessions from both sides. While the specific terms of the compromise may vary over time, the underlying dynamics of the relationship between the two lobbies remain constant. The lobbies recognize the importance of maintaining a balance of power and influence in Indiana politics, and are willing to make concessions to maintain this balance. This dynamic ensures that the relationship between the lobbies remains stable and mutually beneficial, even as the specific policies and priorities may change.

Liquor stores can't sell cold soft drinks

Indiana's liquor laws are notoriously confusing, with certain restrictions on the sale of alcohol that many other states don't have. One of the most notable is the ban on selling cold beer in grocery and convenience stores. This restriction has been in place for decades, initially introduced as a blue law to limit alcohol consumption. While the focus of the law has shifted over time, the package liquor store lobby has successfully convinced lawmakers to maintain this exclusive right to sell cold beer, arguing that it keeps them in business.

The law, upheld by an appeals court in Indiana, has faced opposition from grocery and convenience stores, which have been trying to expand their sales of cold beer for the past 10 years. Despite polls showing that most Hoosiers support allowing cold beer sales in these stores, the lobby's influence has prevented any changes to the law.

Liquor stores are limited in what they can sell alongside alcoholic beverages. While they can sell items like tobacco products, bar supplies, and non-alcoholic beverages, they are prohibited from selling certain food items. Specifically, they can only offer prepackaged items directly related to the consumption of liquor, such as cocktail garnishes, and these must be sold in containers up to 16 ounces. This restriction extends to soft drinks, which liquor stores are not allowed to sell cold.

The reasoning behind this specific restriction is not entirely clear, but it may be part of the compromise between the liquor store lobby and lawmakers to maintain the exclusivity of cold beer sales. By prohibiting liquor stores from selling a wider range of products, including cold soft drinks, it helps to level the playing field with grocery and convenience stores, which are unable to sell cold beer.

While the situation is frustrating for consumers who want the convenience of buying cold beer with their groceries, it highlights the complex dynamics between different industries and their influence on legislation.

Indiana's Alcohol Code Revision Commission voted to expand cold beer sales

Indiana's Alcohol Code Revision Commission has voted to expand cold beer sales, but this move has not yet been passed into law. The commission voted 8-7 in favour of the expansion, but as they needed a majority of their 17 members to vote in favour, the recommendation will not be passed on to the Indiana General Assembly.

Currently, Indiana is one of the few states to regulate the sale of drinks based on temperature. Only package liquor stores can refrigerate beer, while grocery and convenience stores must sell beer at room temperature. This is due to a compromise made between grocery and liquor stores, in which grocery stores agreed to give up their bid for cold beer sales in exchange for liquor stores pushing for Sunday sales.

The conflict over cold beer sales in Indiana has been ongoing for over a decade. Grocery, convenience, and pharmacy stores have been trying to convince lawmakers to expand cold beer sales for the past 10 years. The ban started as a so-called blue law to limit consumption, but over time, the focus has shifted, and package liquor stores have argued to remain the state's exclusive outlets for cold beer, stating that it keeps them in business.

The issue of cold beer sales in Indiana is complicated by various alliances and compromises between different interest groups. Liquor stores have always been able to sell cold beer and guard this advantage closely. Refrigerating beer not only makes it more refreshing but also keeps it fresher for longer. When Indiana set up the Alcohol Code Revision Commission to evaluate liquor laws, grocery and convenience stores saw an opportunity to get in on the cold beer market. Liquor stores were not willing to give this up without something in return, so a bargain was struck.

The compromise between grocery and liquor stores involved grocery stores forming an alliance with liquor stores to push for Sunday sales, in exchange for giving up their bid for cold beer sales. Convenience stores, however, did not agree to this bargain and continue to push for cold beer sales. This has led to ongoing tensions and lobbying efforts between different interest groups.

Indiana's cold beer laws are a result of its conservative politics

Indiana's liquor laws have been described as "a pit of oddities, loopholes, exceptions, and head-scratchers". The state regulates the sale of drinks based on temperature, with only liquor stores permitted to sell cold beer. This regulation is the result of lobbying by the liquor store industry, which argues that selling cold beer is crucial to their business. They have successfully convinced lawmakers to prevent the expansion of cold beer sales to grocery and convenience stores, despite public support for such a measure.

The conflict-of-interest concerns have been raised about the influence of lobby groups on Indiana's cold beer laws. Two prominent Indiana Republicans, Kyle Hupfer and Nate Feltman, have investments in liquor stores, leading to questions about the potential influence on legislation. However, they deny any conflict of interest and claim they will not ask for favours to benefit their business.

The debate over cold beer sales in Indiana has involved compromises and alliances between different interest groups. For example, grocery stores struck a deal with liquor stores to push for Sunday sales in exchange for giving up their bid for cold beer sales. Convenience stores, however, have continued to advocate for cold beer sales.

The highly regulated liquor industry in Indiana has led to unique challenges and workarounds for businesses and consumers. For instance, convenience stores have tried to find creative ways to circumvent the law, such as selling bags of ice separately for customers to cool their beer after purchase. Overall, Indiana's cold beer laws are a reflection of the state's conservative politics and the lobbying power of the liquor store industry.

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