At the beginning of the year, you may have noticed an explosion of beer options that suddenly popped up at every grocery store in Colorado. No more are the days of grocery stores being forced to sell watery 3.2% beer but they are now free to sell full strength beer! This drastic change actually comes from a law that was passed back in 2016 but just went into effect Jan 1st of this year. While all the craft beers in the grocery stores may have been the most noticeable change, there are actually a few more that also went into effect that all Coloradans should be aware of.
Not just grocery stores
All the beer options aren’t just popping up at grocery stores but convenience stores as well. So don’t be surprised the next time you walk into a 7-11 or nearby gas station.
Age of handlers
If you are an establishment that sells alcohol, be forewarned that the employee handling any alcohol must be at least 18 years of age and consuming still requires you to be 21.
You can now drink at parks
This change surprisingly flew under the radar. As of Jan 1st, people are now allowed to have open containers of alcohol in any public park. This also is one to watch out for though because it was also stated that this was an experiment that they are trying for a year. Enjoy it now but don’t be surprised if things don’t go as planned and that goes away in 2020.
Hard liquor stays the same
Not so much of a change but just a note that although beer is now sold at grocery stores, hard liquor can still only be bought at traditional liquor shops, much to the relief of said shops!
You can’t sneak through self-checkout
Yep. Just like with cough syrup, if you go through self-checkout with beer, you will get carded.
Location matters
For business owners thinking about selling alcohol in their shops, be warned that your place of business must be at least 500 feet away from any school to do so.
So now that you know the ins and outs of the new liquor laws, enjoy the new convenience but remember to stay safe and drink responsibly!
