Colorado's Full-Strength Beer: Where To Buy

As of January 1, 2019, Coloradans have been able to buy full-strength beer in grocery and convenience stores. For years, supermarkets and convenience stores were limited to selling beer with a maximum alcohol content of 3.2%. This change in legislation, which had been 10 years in the making, is expected to significantly impact liquor stores, which are projecting business losses.

Full-strength beer in Colorado grocery stores

For the first time since Prohibition, Colorado shoppers can buy full-strength beer at grocery stores. Starting 1 January 2019, Colorado's unusual booze rules changed, and the state effectively erased its 3.2 beer law. This Prohibition-era restriction previously prevented most general stores from selling full-strength beer. Now, shoppers can buy beer with more than 3.2% alcohol by volume while also checking off their grocery lists.

Where to buy full-strength beer

Full-strength beer is available at 1,600 grocery and convenience stores across Colorado, including nearly 200 in Denver alone. Some of the grocery stores that sell full-strength beer include:

• King Soopers
• Safeway
• Beaver's Market
• Super Target
• Trader Joe's
• Walmart
• Whole Foods
• Sam's Club
• Lucky's Market
• 7-Eleven
• Loaf N Jug

The impact of the change

The change in the law is expected to have a significant impact on liquor stores, which are projecting business losses as they will face increased competition for beer sales. It's also a question mark for craft brewers, who may benefit from the increased exposure in grocery stores or, in a worst-case scenario, suffer from reduced sales in liquor stores.

History of the 3.2 beer law

The 3.2 beer law was first implemented by U.S. Congress and President Franklin Roosevelt in March 1933. It legalised the sale of 3.2 beer but nothing stronger, putting an end to 13 years of booze banning. The idea of 3.2 beer stuck in Colorado, and until 1987, 18-year-olds could even drink it at special 3.2 bars.

Full-strength beer in Colorado gas stations

As of January 1, 2019, Coloradans are now able to buy full-strength beer from gas stations and grocery and convenience stores. For years, supermarkets and convenience stores had been limited to selling beer with a maximum alcohol content of 3.2% ABV, which is half of what you would find in a liquor store.

The change in the law, which had been a decade in the making, was expected to significantly impact sales at independent liquor stores. The owner of Chambers Wine and Liquor in Aurora, Lee Earnhart, expressed concern about the change, stating, "It's not going to help my business, that's for sure."

Despite this, many customers were excited about the change, as it provided a one-stop shopping experience for those looking to buy both groceries and beer. A spokesperson for King Soopers, Adam Williamson, echoed this sentiment, stating, "Our customers have asked for a one-stop shopping experience, and this will give them that convenience they are looking for."

The change in the law was part of an overhaul of Colorado's liquor code, which included significant changes to the state's restrictions on the sale of full-strength beer. Under the new rules, approximately 1,600 stores had their licenses automatically upgraded, allowing them to replace half-strength with full-strength beer. This included more than 100 stores each for King Soopers and Safeway.

The new law also allowed for the delivery of beer by grocery and convenience stores and permitted the consumption of full-strength beer, wine, and champagne in Denver parks.

Full-strength beer in Colorado convenience stores

As of January 1, 2019, Colorado shoppers can buy full-strength beer at grocery and convenience stores across the state. This change in the law means that, for the first time since Prohibition, Coloradans can buy their beer and groceries together.

Previously, only low-alcohol "3.2 beer" was available in most of the state's grocers. This change in the law will affect everyone who buys beer, as well as the businesses selling it. Liquor stores are concerned about the impact on their sales, and craft brewers may also be affected.

The change in the law will also allow people over 21 to drink full-strength beer, wine, and bubbly in parks across Denver for the entirety of 2019 before the rule is re-evaluated.

The new law will also allow grocery and convenience stores to deliver beer, and a limited number of grocers will be able to sell liquor and wine.

The change is expected to increase beer orders for grocery and convenience stores by 30% in 2019, while liquor stores are expecting their beer sales to drop by a corresponding 30%.

Full-strength beer in Colorado parks

On January 1, 2019, Colorado's unusual booze rules underwent one of the biggest changes since Prohibition. For the first time in 83 years, Colorado shoppers were allowed to buy full-strength beer at grocery stores. This change affected everyone who likes to buy their beer and groceries together, and it was a concern for liquor stores, which projected significant business losses.

Previously, only low-alcohol "3.2 beer" with 3.2% alcohol by volume was sold in most of the state's grocers. This restriction was a remnant of the Prohibition era, which ended 83 years ago. The new liquor law that took effect in 2019 allowed convenience and grocery stores with beer licenses to sell full-strength beer, including almost 200 stores in Denver alone.

The change in the law also had an impact on drinking policies in parks across Colorado. Denver, for example, allowed visitors to consume full-strength beer, wine, and champagne in parks starting on January 1, 2019, for the entirety of the year before re-evaluating the policy. This was a significant shift from the previous restriction that limited park drinkers to 3.2 beer.

The change in the law also affected the variety of beers available in Colorado. Grocery stores increased their beer orders by 30% in 2019, and liquor stores were expected to experience a corresponding 30% drop in beer sales. The change also raised questions for beer brewers, who wondered if they would profit from the new market or struggle to get their products on supermarket shelves.

The new law was a result of a decade-long debate and lobbying efforts by grocery chains, who threatened to take the issue to a popular referendum if the legislature did not act. While the change provided convenience for shoppers, it also created uncertainty for liquor stores and brewers, who faced increased competition and the potential for business losses.

The impact on liquor stores

On January 1, 2019, Colorado's 3.2 beer law was repealed, marking the most significant change to the state's liquor code since Prohibition. The law, which had been in place since 1935, restricted most supermarkets and convenience stores from selling full-strength beer, limiting them to beer with an alcohol content of 3.2%.

The change in legislation had been a long time coming, with the debate playing out over a decade. The driving force behind the shift was the powerful grocery lobby, which threatened to take the issue directly to voters if lawmakers did not act.

The impact of this change on liquor stores in Colorado has been a significant concern. Liquor store owners are now facing substantial competition for retail beer sales, with their beer sales projected to drop by as much as 30%. This is due to the convenience of one-stop shopping that grocery and convenience stores can now offer to customers.

Liquor store owners have expressed worry about the impact on their businesses, with some predicting that independent liquor stores will be forced to close due to the loss in beer sales. They argue that liquor stores, often small businesses with strict ownership limits, form the cornerstone of many neighbourhoods.

While liquor stores will still be the primary retailer for wine and spirits for the foreseeable future, the new laws do allow grocery stores to obtain licenses to sell all types of alcohol. However, these licenses come with stringent requirements, such as distance restrictions from existing liquor stores, which may limit the appeal for grocery stores.

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