It’s the end of the road for 3.2 beer
If you read my last article about how the beer laws in Minnesota are very archaic, then this next story won’t come at that big of a surprise. Ironically I was going to mention it then but I figured I'd end up making a post about it in the future...and that time has come sooner than expected!
MillerCoors....MolsonCoors (stupid name) has finally given it’s 3.2 beer it's walking papers. Yes it’s true, it will no longer be available in Minnesota or anywhere else for that matter. As of May 31st 2021, they will cease production of their 3.2 products.
Sales at the company have dropped a whopping 98% and Minnesota is the last state in the country milking out this post prohibition alcohol concoction. MolsonCoors has been losing money hand over fist producing this stuff for only one state in the union and that’s because Minnesota cant wake up into the modern era and just let the old days go.
Photo - SnowBrains
So what’s the fuss about 3.2 beer anyway? Well the term refers to the use the old-fashioned “alcohol by weight” measurement, everyone now days talks about beers in the more modern “alcohol by volume” - ABV measurement which translates a so-called 3.2 beer into what is actually about 4 percent ABV.
Currently the beers that are in the 3.2% ABW form are Miller Lite, Coors Lite and Blue Moon. After these are discontinued, the drinkers of those beers are gonna have to put their man pants on and finally jump up to the standard versions which come in at 4.2% ABV. I mean its not really that big of a jump so I’m sure most people wont even notice.
But what I find to be very strange is that MolsonCoors will continue to brew lighter than light beers with a 3.8% ABV content, which could possibly be next on the chopping block…?
And just what are those beers you ask?
Well they are … Leinenkugel's Session Helles, Hamm's Special Light, Blue Moon Light Sky, Blue Moon Honey Daze, Coors Pure, Miller 64, Sol Chelada, Sol Chelada Limon y Sal, Coors Edge, Miller Sharps and Molson Canadian 67 .… which I have never seen before along with standard Molson which I actually never see, hence why I think it's stupid to rename a legendary midwest brewery after a company from another country that you cant even find the beer in the area its apparently based in.
There is only one remaining bar in Minneapolis that is still exclusively serving 3.2 beer and that is the T Shoppe Bar at 4154 N Fremont Avenue. The other last bar was the Sunrise Inn which is now the awesome Bull's Horn, where they serve beers that dare to go over that crazy edge of 4.1% haha. I’m not sure what the future of the T Shoppe will be, if they will conform or just close up shop.
You might be saying “yeah but other companies such as Budweiser still produce 3.2 products, will those still be available in Minnesota?” For the time being, yes until they start losing sales and “can that stuff too…get? In fact there are currently 1,484 active 3.2 bar licenses in MInnesota! So people are still drinking this stuff.
Since this state is slower than molasses in terms of changing decades old liquor/grocery laws, I’m afraid people will still be drinking wimpy beer for a while longer. But what I can say is, it’s definitely the end of the road for Miller’s….Molson’s 3.2 products in Minnesota.