Top Selling High Proof Beers of Iowa

A favorite topic among beer lovers in Iowa is our disdain for the state government’s imposed limits on the alcoholic content of our choice beverages. This imposition is probably thought of as about equal to Minnesota resident’s hatred of the Blue Laws. At least I think so, as I have been resident to both states. The short of the story is that your typical Iowa beer will be no higher than 6%. Any beer with a higher ABV will be treated as liquor and must then be distributed by the State of Iowa. At that point, if you want a particular beer, a seller must petition the state in hopes to receive delivery. For more on that discussion, check out Episode 6 of the podcast, Beers Have Changed.

It was recently brought to my attention that the State of Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division maintains a list of high proof beer available for purchase in the state, as well as a list of the Top 10 selling beers of this style from the last year. In August of 2009, the top seller was La Fin du Monde by Unibroue, a high-proof beer of 9% ABV. Meanwhile, the top selling beer of the year is Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo Ale – a beer of 7.20% ABV. With the exception of La Fin du Monde, I believe every one of these beers listed is available at Hy-Vee – one of Iowa’s dominant grocer’s and purveyor of a wide variety of beers. Goose Island, Flying Dog, and Boulevard are all brewery’s with multiple entries on the list.

I’ve spoken many times about creating your own six packs from the variety of beers available at Hy-Vee. In fact, if you live in Iowa, get to a Hy-Vee soon and you can make one if not two six-packs of Oktoberfest/Märzen style beers from across the nation. Higher ABV beers, like those offered from Unibroue, are most commonly found at bars like El Bait Shop and The Red Monk of Des Moines, though John’s Grocery of Iowa City and Beer Crazy in Urbandale, Iowa also carry such atypical brews.

The problem I have is that while many of these beers are great, none can be considered too exotic. Some brewers won’t even touch distribution in this state. Others have watered down their beers in order to find new markets. Our own local breweries oppose the liquor laws because it restricts their ability to explore other styles of beer. I may be biased, as I am approaching this view simply from the mindset of a beer lover. What advantages are there in having a lower ABV limit on our beers? And what successes have you had in finding a new treasured beer?

[via Sioux Brew]

Update: The Iowa Brewers Guild has posted a position statement from the Brewer’s Association on alcohol content.

The Brewers Association (BA) believes the American beer drinker should have access to the widest range of domestically brewed beers made available by licensed breweries. The BA advocates for and supports state laws and regulatory protocols which expand beer drinker choice in the American marketplace. The accessibility of diverse American beer styles should reflect demand for these beers from responsible beer drinkers, and should not be restricted through artificial barriers to market entry.

BA believes that to provide the greatest ongoing choice for American beer drinkers, consistent with historical brewing tradition and beer’s valued role in American food and beverage culture, brewers should have the right to offer beers of varying alcohol content and not be restricted by limits of alcohol by volume (abv) or alcohol by weight (abw). Similarly, American beer drinkers should have the right to the responsible enjoyment of different beer styles with the appropriate alcohol strength without having to pay a different tax based on the alcohol content of the beer

Related Articles:

• Episode 6: Beers Have Changed
• Review: Bourbon County Stout by Goose Island
• John’s Grocery Releasing Bells to Iowa