Ohio may finally be eliminating its limit on the potency of beer brewed and sold in the state.
The Ohio House of Representatives this afternoon passed House Bill 37 with a 79-7 vote. The bill, which would remove Ohio’s 12% ABV limit on beer, passed in the state senate last week. Other proposals have been introduced to raise the limit to 15% or 21%, but HB-37 removes the maximum alcohol content of beer entirely.
The ABV cap elimination was amended to a bill that was originally introduced to allow the consumption of alcohol throughout certain markets – specifically, the North Market.
While most Ohio craft brewers state that they don’t intend to start brewing a ton of 14-15% beers, which aren’t very profitable, many have expressed that the loosened limit will allow them to breathe a little easier when brewing or barrel-aging stronger beers, for which the final ABV can be unpredictable. It will also allow popular beers above 12% from craft breweries around the country – which Ohio beer fans often obtain by driving to nearby states – to be sold in Ohio, keeping tax dollars in the state.
Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania have no restrictions on the alcoholic content of beer. West Virginia is the only state bordering Ohio that restricts how strong beer can be.
Under the legislation, beer above 12% ABV will need to be clearly marked as “high alcohol beer.”
The bill will now head to Governor Kasich, who will have the final decision on whether or not Ohio eliminates its ABV limit.
