Settling It Over A Beer

Settling It Over A Beer
October 21st, 2009

A good suggestion for Utah lawmakers who demonize Utah beer through their harmful policies

by Richard Markosian

Never has a place benefited so much by a product that the majority of the populous doesn't consume, as Utah does with beer.

Though Utah's beer industry operates under some unique restrictions, beer production, distribution, and sales accounted for more than 10,000 jobs and had a positive economic impact of $754 million in 2004, according to a study for the National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Beer Institute.

There are 1,500 breweries/brew pubs in the U.S. and Utah is home to arguably five of the top 100. Wasatch, Uinta, Squatters, Redrock and Bohemian breweries offer some of the finest quality beer found in the U.S. and they have the awards to prove it.

Yet rather than support local breweries that offer a better quality product to Utahans than macro breweries, state leaders make it difficult for micro brews to compete by placing an additional excise tax on all beer sold in Utah.

Local beers are not only superior in taste and quality, but those who consume micro brews usually drink for taste and enjoyment, rather than to get drunk. Penalizing and demonizing Utah brewers causes more people to drink cheaper beer for the effects, not the taste. The result is more DUIs, beer binging and stupid behavior.

Beer appreciation rather than condemnation produces more responsible drinkers. Unfortunately, I have not found any research to back up my claims. Studies have found that when food is cheap and of poor quality, people tend to consume more to feel that they have received value. I think it's safe to assume this also applies to beverages.

I encourage the state of Utah to fund grants conducting research on drinking behavior so that Utah's state legislature can better understand the beer they might not consume but from which they still benefit a great deal.

Read the introduction to the October issue of Utah Stories Angels and Demons -- the demons that are protecting us and the angels who will kill you.