Coors Beer: An Unlikely Western Icon

Coors beer was not available in most eastern states for a long time. The beer was unpasteurized and contained no preservatives, meaning it had to be kept cold throughout its lifetime. This made long journeys from west to east impossible. In addition, some states, such as Oregon, had laws in place regarding pasteurization, requiring all beers sold for home consumption to be heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. In 1975, Coors was only sold in 11 states, and it wasn't until 1991 that it expanded to all 50 states.

Coors beer was unpasteurised and had no preservatives, meaning it had to be kept cold throughout its lifetime

Coors beer was unpasteurised because the company wanted to preserve its flavour. They believed that heat kills the taste of the beer. While this is great for maintaining flavour, it also means that the beer is more susceptible to contamination and has a shorter shelf life.

The lack of pasteurisation meant that the beer had to be kept under constant refrigeration. Coors did not warehouse any of its finished products but shipped everything out cold and immediately. This meant that the beer was very fresh but also that it couldn't be transported long distances.

The beer was only available in 11 states for a very long time. It wasn't until 1991 that Coors beer expanded to all 50 states, finally becoming available in Indiana.

It was difficult to transport over long distances, and so was only distributed to locations within a short distance

Coors beer was not sold in most eastern states in the US for a long time. The beer was unpasteurized and did not contain any preservatives, which meant that it had to be kept cold at all times. This made long journeys from the West to the East impossible for the Coors beer. The beer could only be enjoyed in the West and was rarely found in the East.

The reason that Coors was not sold east of the Mississippi River was that these states did not issue alcohol permits, and Coors often did not pursue them. In addition, the beer required constant refrigeration, which made it difficult to transport over long distances.

Coors beer was not pasteurized, which means that it was not heated up to eliminate microorganisms. As a result, unpasteurized beers have a much shorter shelf life than pasteurized beers. This made it difficult to distribute Coors beer to more distant regions within the United States.

The company only sought to distribute its beer to locations within a short distance and opted not to sell east of the Mississippi River. Over time, the brewing company expanded its distribution efforts and was finally able to offer its product across the United States. In 1991, Coors beer was available in all 50 states after expanding to Indiana.

States in the East did not issue alcohol permits

Coors beer was not sold in the Eastern states of the USA for a long time. The reason for this was that the beer was unpasteurized and had no preservatives, meaning it had to be kept cold at all times. This made long journeys from West to East impossible.

In addition to this, the Eastern states did not issue alcohol permits for Coors beer. The company also did not pursue these permits due to the fact that the beer was unpasteurized. Pasteurization is a process that involves heating beer to eliminate microorganisms, which are found naturally in unpasteurized beer. This significantly increases the shelf life of the beer. As unpasteurized beer spoils quickly and requires constant refrigeration, it was very difficult to transport and distribute Coors beer to more distant regions.

Oregon, for example, had a statute in place for over fifty years regarding unpasteurized beer. While possession of Coors in Oregon was not illegal, packaging and selling it in stores was.

Coors did not pursue alcohol permits in the East due to the refrigeration requirements of their unpasteurised beer

Coors beer was not sold in the eastern states of the US for a variety of reasons. Firstly, Coors was an unpasteurised beer until the late 1970s. Unpasteurised beer has a very short shelf life and requires constant refrigeration, which made it difficult to transport over long distances. As a result, Coors was only distributed to locations within shorter distances.

Secondly, certain states in the US had different alcohol regulations, especially regarding unpasteurised beer. For example, Oregon had a statute in place for over 50 years that deemed unpasteurised beer unhealthy, and therefore it could not be packaged and sold in stores. While it was not illegal to possess Coors beer in Oregon, selling it in stores was illegal.

Another reason for the lack of Coors beer in the eastern states was that the company did not pursue alcohol permits in those states. This was likely due to the refrigeration requirements of their unpasteurised beer, as it was easier to only distribute the beer to locations within a short distance.

The combination of these factors created a scarcity of Coors beer in the eastern states, which contributed to its reputation as a sought-after and exclusive product. The film "Smokey and the Bandit" also played a role in perpetuating the idea that Coors beer was illegal or difficult to obtain in certain parts of the country.

Oregon had a statute in place for over 50 years regarding unpasteurised beer

Oregon has a long history of regulating the sale and consumption of alcohol. In 1844, the Oregon territories voted to prohibit alcoholic beverages, though this was repealed in 1845. Prohibition was reinstated in 1915, four years before the national alcohol prohibition.

In 1933, when national prohibition was repealed, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) was created. The OLCC has strict guidelines and training to ensure that all licensed venues understand how to safely sell and serve alcoholic beverages.

Oregon's post-Prohibition laws included a statute that dictated alcohol manufacture and retail could not happen on the same premises. This meant that breweries had to convince third-party bars and restaurants to add their taps before the public could drink their beer, making it challenging to win new customers. This statute remained in place for over 50 years, until 1985, when a group of new brewers teamed up to change the odds.

The Widmer brothers, Mike and Brian McMenamin, Dick and Nancy Ponzi of BridgePort Brewing, and Art Larrance, Fred Bowman, and Jim Goodwin, the soon-to-be founders of Portland Brewing, joined forces to legalise the brewpub. A brewpub is a place where breweries can make and sell their own beer, an idea that was already common internationally but not in the United States.

In early 1985, the House unanimously passed the original "Brewpub Bill," HB 2284. However, the bill faced opposition in the Senate, where a senator moved to table it, effectively killing it. The brewing partners then shifted their approach, adding brewpub language to two existing bills: one to legalise the sale of packaged unpasteurised beers and another to allow liquor licenses for bed and breakfasts. The latter bill, SB 813, passed and was signed into law in July 1985, marking a significant change in Oregon's beer culture.

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