Athens residents and Ohio University students could purchase beer with 18 percent alcohol if a budget amendment proposed by Ohio state Sen. Jimmy Stewart (R-20th) is passed.
After a visit to Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, 24 W. Union St., last year, Stewart said he decided to push for an amendment to almost double the alcoholic content of beer sold in Ohio to 18 percent from 12 percent.
The last change to the alcohol percentage of beer in Ohio was in 2002 when it jumped from 6 percent to 12 percent, Stewart added.
“The idea is to help out small, local microbrewers,” Stewart said.
Although Jackie O’s, the local microbrewery, would benefit from this increase, the bar’s brewmaster Brad Clark said he expects opposition to stem from a fear of high alcohol content.
State addiction departments are already voicing this opposition.
The main concern with the potential increase is related to underage consumption of a beer with such high alcohol content, said Stacey Fronhnapfel Hasson, chief of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.
“If teens can get an 18 percent beer at home, they could easily make bad decisions after one beer,” Hasson said.
People who are underage already have the ability to get higher percentage alcohol, said Clinton Setty, an Ohio University graduate student studying civil engineering.
Athens resident Jibrail Shaikh said she also didn’t think the percentage increase is a problem.
“Alcohol is alcohol,” Shaikh said. “You can drink 20 regular beers and still get (messed) up.”
Although the high alcohol content is concerning for some, Clark said another problem that could arise should this amendment be accepted is the price of the beer.
Jackie O’s would most likely sell a bottle of the 18 percent beer at about $12, he said.
“It’s not the over-consumption (that will cause problems),” Clark said. “College students are going to spend their $12 on a case of beer, not one microbrew.”
Although a more alcoholic beer may not draw many college students to the bar, Clark said Jackie O’s gets visitors from different states every week, all seeking the unique tastes of locally brewed beers, Clark said.
Because of this, an alcohol content increase could potentially help out the local economy in Athens, he added.
“It would boost everything. It’s for the beer aficionado,” Clark said.
Athens residents are not against the percentage increase.
States who already do not have a limit on the alcohol content of beer include Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois, Stewart said.
Indiana currently has a 21 percent limit, he added.
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