May 28, 2004
Albany -- Beer drinkers in Georgia be prepared for a bigger selection of brews this year. Georgia Legislators have now approved the sale of stronger beers opening the door to new, more alcoholic brands.
It's a step Georgia beer drinkers say is long over due.
"I think people will enjoy it," says bar owner Bo Henry.
What they will enjoy ,come July 1st, is beer with a 14 % alcohol content almost double what's already allowed. The 6% measuring stick that has been the standard in the state for the last 50 years will soon be no more. Bar owners like Henry says that's good news for his business.
"Here it will be good. We do a lot of imported type beers here, certain beers that have not been allowed in Georgia will now be allowed in Georgia," says Henry.
And billing highly alcoholic beers as a way to promote business and tourism helped it pass in the legislature this year. Even though critics were concerned teenagers would seek out the beers and put themselves endanger.
"That's awful really. If they do anything they should lower the alcohal content because they are so many people who are addicted to alcohol,"says critic Amanda Wilbanks .
But supporters of the beer legislation say the new beers with higher alcohol content wouldn't be the type people get drunk with rather the type people savor and sip like fine wine.
"The amount of alcohol content will not matter it's likes tasting wine they just have it for the enjoyment the taste,"says Henry.
So get ready for a new wave of micro brews and international beers to take over at your local bar. Drinks that will pack a powerful punch and give Georgians a taste of what they've been missing. The law goes into effective July first, making Georgia the 42nd state in the county to allow higher beer alcohol contents.
posted at 8:33PM byscott.hunter@walb.com
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