Ohio's Non-Alcoholic Beer Buying Laws For Under 21S

In the United States, the legal drinking age is 21. However, non-alcoholic beer is not 100% alcohol-free and typically has at least 0.5% ABV. So, can you buy non-alcoholic beer if you're under 21?

The answer varies from state to state. In Ohio, you must be over 18 to buy non-alcoholic beer. This recent change in the law means that some stores in Ohio may still be reluctant to sell non-alcoholic beer to under-21s.

In Ohio, you must be over 18 to buy non-alcoholic beer

In the United States, alcoholic beverages are defined as having an alcohol content of more than 0.5% ABV. Non-alcoholic beer typically contains less than 0.5% ABV, but due to a legal anomaly, any malt beverage is regulated by the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, which does not indicate an ABV minimum. This means that non-alcoholic beer is subject to the same regulations as regular beer, and the minimum purchase age is 21.

However, in Ohio, the minimum age to purchase non-alcoholic beer is 18. This change in law occurred recently and may not yet be widely known or enforced by retailers. For example, some stores in Cincinnati, such as Kroger and Wal Mart, require customers to show ID and be 18 or older to purchase non-alcoholic beer, while others do not.

It is worth noting that the laws surrounding the purchase and consumption of non-alcoholic beverages vary across different states in the US. While Ohio has set the minimum age to buy non-alcoholic drinks at 18, other states may have different age restrictions or no restrictions at all. Therefore, it is important to check the local laws before purchasing non-alcoholic beer, especially when travelling between states.

Ohio law changed to allow non-alcoholic beer sales to over-18s

In a change to state law, Ohio now permits the sale of non-alcoholic beer to those aged 18 and over. This change brings Ohio into line with a number of other states that allow those under 21 to purchase non-alcoholic beer.

Non-Alcoholic Beer Laws

In the United States, alcoholic beverages are prohibited for those under the age of 21. However, non-alcoholic beer is treated differently across state lines. While federal law does not prohibit the sale of non-alcoholic beer to minors, many states have their own laws that do.

Non-alcoholic beer typically contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). Despite this low level of alcohol, which is lower than that found in some fruit juices, it is still regulated by the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. This is due to a legal anomaly that means any malt beverage is regulated by the FAA, regardless of ABV.

State Laws

While each state has set the legal drinking age to 21, they have different definitions of what constitutes an alcoholic beverage. Some states do not allow minors to purchase any alcohol, while others permit consumption by minors under certain conditions, such as parental supervision.

Ohio is one of 16 states that allow the buying of non-alcoholic beer by minors. In Ohio, individuals aged 18 and over can purchase non-alcoholic beer. However, this change in the law has not made it easy for those under 21 to purchase non-alcoholic beer. Many retailers still require customers to be at least 21 to avoid legal loopholes and the risk of fines or loss of their alcohol license.

Drinking Non-Alcoholic Beer Under 18

While the purchase of non-alcoholic beer is illegal for individuals under 21 in most states, consumption is not. Minors can drink non-alcoholic beer with parental permission and/or in the presence of a parent or legal guardian. However, this does not apply to drinking in clubs, pubs, or bars, and may be limited to private property.

The Federal Alcohol Administration Act regulates non-alcoholic beer

The Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA Act) regulates malt beverages, regardless of their alcohol content, if they meet the Act's requirements of containing some malted barley, some hops (or hop parts or products) and having been subject to fermentation.

The FAA Act defines "malt beverages" as "a beverage made by the alcoholic fermentation of an infusion or decoction, or combination of both, in potable brewing water, of malted barley with hops, or their parts, or their products". The Act does not define beer, but the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) does. The IRC defines beer as any fermented beverage "brewed or produced from malt, wholly or in part, or from any substitute therefor".

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's (TTB) regulations refer to a malt beverage containing less than 0.5% ABV as a "cereal beverage". Because non-alcoholic beer contains less than 0.5% ABV, the TTB will not treat it as a "beer" under the IRC, and it will not be subject to federal alcohol excise taxes in the US.

However, because non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beers are produced like conventional beer and then de-alcoholized, they fall under the TTB's labelling and advertising jurisdiction. This means that non-alcoholic beer is still regulated by the FAA Act, even though its alcoholic content is below what is considered to be an alcoholic beverage.

The laws declaring the legal drinking age of 21 years old are not federal rules, but rules set by each individual state. While each state has set the legal drinking age to 21, they have different definitions of what an alcoholic beverage is, and different rules depending on whether you can buy non-alcoholic beer under 21 or consume non-alcoholic beer under 21.

In Ohio, non-alcoholic beer can be purchased by those over the age of 18.

Non-alcoholic beer is not 100% alcohol-free

In the United States, a non-alcoholic beer is defined as containing less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). While this is a negligible amount of alcohol, it is not entirely alcohol-free.

The laws surrounding the purchase and consumption of non-alcoholic beverages for minors vary across state lines. In Ohio, non-alcoholic beer can be sold to anyone over the age of 18. However, some stores may have stricter policies and might not sell non-alcoholic beers to individuals under 21.

The laws declaring the legal drinking age of 21 years old are not federal rules but are set by each state. While each state has unanimously set the legal drinking age to 21, they have different definitions of what an alcoholic beverage is, and even different rules depending on whether you can buy non-alcoholic beer under 21 or consume it under 21.

In many states, minors cannot purchase alcohol but are able to consume it under certain conditions, such as whether they are doing so under the supervision of a parent, guardian, or spouse, who is over the age of 21.

Even though non-alcoholic beer has 0.5% ABV or less, some states still classify and regulate it as an alcoholic beverage. This is because any malt beverage is regulated by the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA), which does not indicate an ABV minimum.

As a result, the answer to whether you can buy or drink non-alcoholic beer as a minor in the United States depends on the specific state and even county or city laws.

Minors can drink non-alcoholic beer in Ohio with parental permission

In Ohio, minors (those under 21) can buy non-alcoholic beer if they are over the age of 18. However, the laws surrounding the consumption of non-alcoholic beer by minors are a little more complex. While federal law states that minors can legally consume non-alcoholic beer, each state has its own regulations.

In Ohio, minors can drink non-alcoholic beer with parental permission. This means that a parent or guardian over the age of 21 must provide the non-alcoholic beer and be present when the minor consumes it. This permission also applies to minors under the age of 18, but they can only drink non-alcoholic beer on private property, not in licensed establishments such as bars or restaurants.

It's important to note that the laws surrounding the purchase and consumption of non-alcoholic beer vary from state to state, and even from county to county. While Ohio allows minors to buy and consume non-alcoholic beer with certain restrictions, other states have different regulations. For example, some states prohibit minors from buying or consuming non-alcoholic beer altogether, while others allow minors to consume it without parental supervision.

The laws regarding non-alcoholic beer can be confusing, and retailers may have their own policies that are more restrictive than the law requires. As a result, it's always a good idea to check the local laws and retailer policies before attempting to purchase non-alcoholic beer as a minor.

Frequently asked questions