We’re doubling down on news related to the Minnesota government shutdown today. A red tape snafu has could potentially leave all Minnesotans without easy access to Coors Light, Miller, Olde English 800 and dozens of additional beers. Meanwhile, bars across the state are running dry because they can’t buy more booze.

See, in order for a beer company to sell its brew in Minnesota, it has to have a registration that comes up for renewal every three years. The registration for MillerCoors came up for renewal in mid-June, but a delay meant that it wasn’t renewed before the state government shut down on July 1.

So by law, those products can no longer be sold in the state. “I would suspect within days to see that product leave the shelves,” a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

A MillerCoors rep says the company is “currently in discussions and hoping that we can get a resolution with the state, with the agency that enforces the sale … of alcohol.”

Beers (and other alcoholic beverages) that could soon disappear off store shelves include:
Blue Moon Pale Moon Belgian Style Pale Ale, Coors Banquet, Coors Light, Coors Light 3.2, Foster’s Lager Beer, Foster’s Premium Ale, Grolsch Amber Ale, Grolsch Blonde Lager, Grolsch Light Lager, Grolsch Premium Lager, Hamm’s, Hamm’s Genuine Draft Style, Hamm’s Special Light, Henry Weinhard’s Dark, Henry Weinhard’s Hefeweizen, Henry Weinhard’s Pale Ale, Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, Icehouse Beer, Keystone Light Beer 3.2, Killians Irish Red 3.2, MGD Light 64, Mickey’s Ice Ale, Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Miller Genuine Draft, Miller High Life 12/16 oz can, Miller High Life Ice, Miller High Life Light 12 oz can, Miller Lite 3.2%, Miller Lite Beer, Milwaukee’s Best #1 , Milwaukee’s Best Ice, Milwaukee’s Best Light #1 3.2, Molson Canadian, Molson Canadian Light, Molson Golden, Molson Ice, Molson XXX, Olde English 800 Malt Liquor, Sparks Light

If, heaven forbid, the government shutdown extends into October, Anheuser-Busch would face a similar problem.

In addition to the possible unavailability of many beers, the Star-Tribune reports that bars across the state are being screwed by the shutdown. They can’t renew their alcohol-purchasing cards, meaning that once they run out of swill to sling, that’s it… until the government gets back to work.

“It’s going to cripple our industry,” said the executive director of the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association.

Shutdown forces MillerCoors to pull beer from shelves [Star-Tribune]

One by one, bars get tapped out [Star-Tribune]

Thanks to Justin for the tip!

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