Expert: Spencer W Thomas - 3/16/2006

Question
I live in colorado, and would like to know the difference in the alcohol content of beer sold in the grocery stores compaired to the alcohol content of beer sold in the liquor stores.
Expecially the difference if any of heineken imported beer.
thank you

donna jones

Answer
Donna,

I've never lived in Colorado, so I'm not up on the laws of Colorado regarding beer sales.  However, it appears from what I've been able to find that beer sold in the grocery store is limited to 3.2% alcohol by weight.  Beer alcohol content is more commonly measured "by volume" -- 3.2% by weight is 4% by volume.

Heineken is about 5.4% by volume, so if you're finding it in the grocery store, it is a reduced alcohol version, specially brewed for sale in states such as Colorado, Oklahoma, and Utah that have "3.2 beer" laws.