Utah’s 3.2 beer law — on the books since 1933 and the genesis behind a state-bashing brunt of “weak beer” jokes — is poised to fall, making way for higher-alcohol brews in grocery and convenience stores by year’s end.
On the final day of the 2019 session, and after a week of compromises, the Senate voted 27-1 to boost the state cap on retail beer from 3.2 percent to 4 percent alcohol by weight.
The move to stronger beer now awaits the signature of Gov. Gary Herbert. He has voiced support for the alcohol increase, noting that large national brewers are phasing out 3.