[IBU] Lift the Limit - Response from Senator Quirmbach

[Mike Young]

I just received an email from Senator Quirmbach regarding the email I sent him, as well as the response I just sent.  It seems like his only real concern was labeling the higher alcohol beer so there aren't more DUI arrests.  Enjoy!
 
--Mike
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Senator Quirmbach,

Thank you for your quick response! I understand your concern regarding allowing Brew Pubs and Micro Breweries to brew higher alcohol beer as it relates to DUI issues. No one wants an increased number of drunk drivers out on our Iowa roadways. When brewing beer, brewers take a starting gravity and a final gravity which gives them the percentage of alcohol in that specific beer. Since they do this for every batch of beer they brew anyway, I don't see why they would object to including the amount of alcohol present on some type of label. Several breweries from other states who have increased limits on beer do so willingly, and perhaps without being required by that state. A similar thing could be done in Brew Pubs as well. The amount of alcohol could be written next to the beers on tap in order to prevent the patrons from drinking more than their limit.

The main reason that I would like to see the limit of 5% raised on beer is not to become more intoxicated when I drink it, but to enjoy our Iowa brewers' recreations of classic beer styles. There are currently 23 different beer style categories (http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/ <http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/> ) with several subcategories below them and a good number of these beers can't be brewed by Iowa breweries due to the 5% limit. I am a homebrewer who also likes to visit my local brew pubs in order to socialize and talk about beer. The majority of individuals who go to brew pubs are not looking to chug high alcohol fizzy yellow beer and get drunk, but rather enjoy the taste of quality hand crafted ales and lagers.

There is currently a large push by homebrew clubs as well as local brewers to increase the 5% limit on beer. I am a member of the Iowa Brewers Union (IBU) and the current president of the Ames Brewers League (ABL), so you can imagine how important this issue is to me. I again thank you for your quick response, and look forward to this topic being discussed in future legislation.

Regards,

Michael Young

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Quirmbach, Herman [LEGIS] [mailto:Herman.Quirmbach at legis.state.ia.us <mailto:Herman.Quirmbach at legis.state.ia.us> ] 

Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 11:37 AM

To: Young, Michael

Subject: RE: Please Support Lift the Limit

 

Michael,

Thanks for your thoughts. I am concerned that more potent beer, were it sold as beer, should have some sort of labeling, so that people consuming that beverage would be aware that they were consuming a greater alcohol content. DUI is a major concern of the legislature, and to deter that activity the legislature has increased the penalties in recent years. We don't want anyone incurring those penalties--or having accidents--because they are unaware that they cannot consume as much and still be legal. Do you have any suggestions?

Regards,

Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach

Iowa Senate District 23

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.iowabrewersunion.org/pipermail/ibu/attachments/20080130/0e303a38/attachment.html