canyonleo

You are incorrect. The law changed to allow non-state liquor stores (e.g. grocery stores) to sell higher alcohol content, but it is still NOT full strength beer. The beer available on tap or in any store that is not a state-owned liquor store is different and not the same beer (exception being mass-market crap beers that have less that 4% alcohol, like standard Bud, Miller, even acceptable beer like Stella maybe). For any craft beer like an IPA, if you order tap in UT, you get NOT full strength, under the new laws still.

canyonleo

I am local.

In UT there are two types of licenses a restaurant/bar can obtain. The restaurant license allows family dining, but customer can not purchase alcohol unless also purchasing food (one can say "we're reviewing the menu to order", food need not be ordered at the exact moment of ordering a drink). There may also be a food/alcohol revenue ratio rule for this license type (e.g. 80% of revenues must be food), or that may have been discontinued? The bar license removes the food sales aspect, but doesn't allow for family dining (21 and over only in the building).

Further, there is a beer and wine license (THUS NOT full strength beer) that places can obtain, which is different that the two license types above which include liquor and full strength beer.

Snowcat

Roosters will be a good addition.

p100a

Pretty sure there is a special license for airport outlets that is vastly less ridiculous than the rest of the state.

WindowSeatFlyer

Guinness is 4.2%
I consider Guinness "real beer".

canyonleo

How are you certain what the alcohol content from a tap is?
Most mass-marked beers have a special version (lower alcohol) for the states that have these "bluelight" or other laws. UT isn't alone, MN is an example where real beer can't be sold in a convenience store or a gas station.

WindowSeatFlyer

You think 4% beer is not “real beer”.
Do you think a 4.2% beer like Guinness Draught is a “real beer”?

canyonleo

Correct. Fake beer is made by brewers as a second version of the regular beer, to be sold in "stores" in states that create a "two levels" retail situation. These states have ABC's/laws saying 3.2/4.0 beer is highest content that can be sold in gas stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, while the full strength beer is only allowed to be sold in state regulated and licensed (or in UT cult, ah, state owned liquor stores).

UT cheats its marketing by saying it last year raised the content level for this "second class" lower content fake beer, but it still isn't raised to the level of any other state that allows full strength beer from a tap... UT is the only state with this law which doesn't allow even a bar-licensed (vs. restaurant-licensed) establishment to sell full strength beer from a tap.

Here's one way I look at it. Go into any liquor store (I'll do it in UT) and look at a dozen of my favorite IPAs. Not a single one (and I'm not the biggest fan of double-hopped and higher ABV beers) has a alcohol content lower than UT's 4.0 tap beer limit. In fact, I'd challenge one to find a good IPA (or even pale ale) that has less than 4.0 (that's ABV, UT cheats the marketing by calling it 5.0 by weight not volume).

WindowSeatFlyer

You still refuse to answer the question.
Do you think a 4.2% beer is a “real beer?”

canyonleo

If it's the only version of a beer that the brewer makes of that one, then yes of course. If the brewer makes two versions of a beer, a full strength and a low alcohol (fake IMO) version, the latter for locations that can't sell the full strength real one (like a UT tap), and that's a 4.2% (in UT depends on ABV vs. weight), then no.

But, we're not here on FT to discuss my opinions, I'm posting to educate those (others) that getting a tap beer in UT, of something worthy (thus excluding mass-merchandised swill like Bud, Miller, etc.), because of state law, isn't a real (full strength) beer. No craft brewer of any worth (IMO) is going to make only one version of it's beer that is 4/5 like UT allows. One is getting a low alcohol version (and it does affect taste frequently) of that beer.

rnbwdsh

Let’s get the facts straight here. Utah groceries, etc are now allowed to sell up to 4.0 ABW. The conversion for ABW to ABV is multiply by 1.25 = 5%. ABV is the measurement almost all of us are used to. So factually, in Utah a consumer may now purchase 5% beer at groceries etc.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/archived-articles/518/

https://www.visitutah.com/articles/u...-visitor-guide

WindowSeatFlyer

You made no such distinction in previous posts. You simply posted “3.3/4.0 is not real beer IMO.”
It wasn’t until I pointed out that your opinion would mean that Guinness Draught is not a “real beer” that you tried to backpedal from your opinion and suddenly tried to add distinctions that weren’t part of your original opinion. Nice try... 😂😂😂
You mean the local “expert” was wrong? I’m shocked. 🤣🤣🤣

canyonleo

Entirely correct. And name one worthy craft beer that is 5% or less. I can name none. Any craft beer that is 5% ABV or less is a second version of that beer intended for UT taps/supermarkets/beer-only licensed places... lower alcohol second version "fake" (IMO) beer. Again, talking craft beers, not mass-merchandised.

So, out of state travelers, if you order a tap beer in UT (unless SLC Int'l has a special type license), it's not full strength beer. Odds are the can and bottle are the same (beer-only licensed).

rnbwdsh

Here you go... literally dozens.

https://www.realbeer.com/edu/health/calories.php

canyonleo

LIke I said, name one or a half dozen on that list that a worthy craft beers not mass-merchandized swill, ah, beers?
We don't need an argument on this, the point I'm making is out of state travelers, beware, the brew pub that is serving a craft tap beer is likely serving you a low alcohol not full strength second version "fake" beer. That list illustrates the point.