A new piece of legislation has been introduced to increase Ohio’s ABV cap on beer from 12% to 15%.
The legislation, House Bill 444, proposes changing the state’s definition of beer to “all beverages brewed or fermented wholly or in part from malt products and containing… not more than fifteen per cent, of alcohol by volume.” Current language in the Ohio Revised Code defines beer as under 12% ABV.
Bars that carried beers above 12% would be required to post a sign reading “CAUTION: Beer sold from this premises may contain up to 15% alcohol by volume, which is a higher alcohol content than standard beer that contains not more than 12% alcohol by volume. Please use caution when consuming beer with a higher alcohol content.”
The same piece of legislation would also allow liquor permit holders to provide up to four free tasting samples of beer, wine and liquor, which is currently not legal — although plenty of Ohio bars and breweries will currently provide a complimentary tasting sample upon request anyway.
This is a separate piece of legislation from the bill re-introduced in 2013 by Rep. Dan Ramos to increase the state’s ABV limit to 21%, on which testimony was heard late last year.
House Bill 444 was introduced last week by republican Rep. Louis Blessing III.
You can read the proposed changes here.
One Comment on "New legislation introduced to raise beer ABV limit"
Unfortunately 15% isn’t really enough when it comedown to it. Why not just close the dead zone between the current 12% and the state liquor law that starts at 21%?
Why isn’t that common sense? A person can walking a grocery store and buy cheap watered down vodka or Kailua that is under 21% yet can’t buy a beer more than 12%