Malt liquors disappear from Utah retail shelves

SALT LAKE CITY Last week, Utah saw a new state law go into effect—one that banned the sale of malt liquor beverages from convenience and grocery stores. Additionally, Utah’s state liquor control commissioners have ordered every type of flavored malt drinks to be relabeled with language that clearly states they contain alcohol.

Alcohol drinks such as Bacardi, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Smirnoff Ice and Sparks were pulled from shelves, with the condition that they would now only be available in state-run liquor stores. And just a little over a week after the ban took effect, it seems that malt beverages are nary to be found anywhere in the state, reports have said.

Sharon Makay, Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s spokeswoman told the press that she believes very few bottles of flavored malt beverages are in any of the state-run stores. This is likely a result of the great task and expense that brewers would have relabeling all of relabeling beverages for Utah. A-B’s spokesman, Andrew Baldonado, for example, has already stated that Bacardi Silver and Tequiza malt drinks will not longer be shipped to Utah.