Senator proposes restricting sale of cold beer (Missouri)

STLtoday.com ^ | Jo Mannies

[FairWitness]

As state Sen. Bill Alter sees it, a cold beer can be dangerous.

And he's got 11-year-old Kristen Bogert to back him up.

Alter, R-High Ridge, introduced a bill in the Missouri House this week that would bar groceries and convenience stores from selling beer "that is refrigerated below 60 degrees."

Alter said Friday that his aim is to discourage drunken drivers - although the bill doesn't restrict cold beer sales at liquor stores.

Alter deferred questions regarding that omission to the person he said was the real author of the bill: Kristen, a fifth-grader at Cedar Hill Intermediate in House Springs.

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Rest of article

[FairWitness]

A short article which struck me as a good example of "good intentions" pushed too the limit. Maybe I'm too old to appreciate the danger. I only have to drive three minutes from my nearest convenience store to home, so cracking open the six-pak on the way is not a problem. My memories of when I was underage inform me that warm beer would not have been a disincentive if I'd wanted a drink, and I doubt it is much of a barrier to folks who are dumb enough to drink while driving. But I suppose it will make a lot of folks feel good to support this law.

It was also noted near the bottem of this (short) article that drunken-driving fatalities in Missouri have declined over the past four years .

[Luigi Vasellini]

He should put a (D) after his name.

[ricardobaltazar]

As a former binge drinker, I can tell you that warm beer would not stop someone who wants to drink it right away.

But hey, it [b]will[/b] inconvenience all those evil moderation drinkers!

[Syberyenta]

I'm with Ricardo, same reason.

Warm beer won't stop the drunk driver, duhh.

Also, the can won't be cold between your legs as you drive.

[FairWitness]

As a former binge drinker, I can tell you that warm beer would not stop someone who wants to drink it right away.

That was my assumption also (besides, I've learned to actually like room-temp beer - must be my English heritage.

[CindyDawg]

I've wondered about the irony of selling individual cans/bottles when we have a no open container law. People that need a beer that bad are just going to buy 6 instead of one or drink it hot. They will just have to have bigger brown bags to put um in I guess. Instead of worrying about our seatbelts LE could make a bundle around here just having someone undercover in the store.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Tax the cigarettes out of existence and use the precedents to tax the burgers and ban the beer. Use the government to make your neighbors be "good." (The next century is going to be a booger.) Screw this Senator, I'd love to see him choke on his own bile.

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Maybe the good Senator sells coolers( igloo,etc...) instate.

This law will surely spark a cooler buying binge.

[Howie66]

"He should put a (D) after his name."

What!?!? And ruin his chances of re-election!?!?

Obviously, this clown is another in a long list of "BIG GOVERNMENT" RINOs that needs to be culled from the herd.

[KC_Conspirator]

The Anheiser Busch family should have alredy paid this guy off by now.

[Crawdad]

Buying warm beer meant more for me. Nobody else wanted any. Sober since 06/01/99.

[demkicker]

This guy just kissed his re-election chances good-bye. What an idiot.

[BallandPowder]

Powder..Patch..Ball FIRE!

He isn't a Democrat, but he is my senator. I'll be letting him know what I think about this Monday morning.

He is running for reelection this year, and the democrats are working hard to remove all the repubs from Jefferson county this election cycle.

He has been a very good solid R until this fiasco...

[Lancey Howard]

I have known alcoholics who prefer room-temp beer. Besides, room-temp is the virtually the norm in much of Europe from what I understand.

[Alissa]

Sounds like they'll have to stop selling ice and coolers too if they want this to be effective.

[RonF]

This isn't going to solve any problems. The law may ban buying cold beer, but most people will just buy Budwesier, Corona, Miller Light, etc. instead.

[Drew68]

As a former binge drinker, I can tell you that warm beer would not stop someone who wants to drink it right away.

Roger that. In fact, I've learned from my world travels that cold beer is a uniquely American practice. With few exceptions, everywhere else I have been beer is enjoyed at room temperature.

[Crooked Constituent]

I find both to be true. For me it depends on the beer. A guiness can be enjoyed warm but a regular miller or budwieser has to be cold.

[Howie66]

I didn't say that he was a RAT. I said that he's gone the route of "BIG GOVERNMENT" RINOs.

Since he's your Senator, I'd reccomend having a "Come to Jesus" chat with him and apparently from your comments you are going to do just that.

Charlie Mike.

[ken in texas]

Besides, room-temp is the virtually the norm in much of Europe from what I understand.

That's because Lucas made many of the refrigerators there... :-)

Sorry, old joke from someone whose has dealt with electrical systems in a Triumph TR-6.

[edcoil]

I agree with you - is this the Constitutional role of government.

[DumpsterDiver]

Perhaps Alter's paycheck should be given to Kristen, the little legislator behind this initiative.

Sen. Bill Alter said the real author of the bill was Kristen, an 11-year-old fifth-grader at Cedar Hill Intermediate in House Springs.

Kristen said in an interview that she was targeting sales of individual cans or bottles of beer... she didn't think such sales to drivers were a good idea. She omitted liquor stores only because, "I just didn't think of that."

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I'm drinking a warm beer right this minute, and loving it.

[Howie66]

"I agree with you - is this the Constitutional role of government."

Not since the last time that I read my copy of the Constitution.

Then again, when it comes to RATs and RINOs, the Constitution is really nothing more than an inconvience (since it's purpose is to LIMIT what the government can do) that has as much significance as a roll of Charmin.

[RGSpincich]

Coors Discrimination!

[kenth]

"Screw this Senator, I'd love to see him choke on his own bile."


Better yet, somebody else's; having had to drink warm beer.

[csmusaret]

If drinking beer on the way home from work can make you drunk, you have one hell of a commute.

[Tench_Coxe]

Wonder if those distributing Anheuser-Busch products would be exempt??

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Alter deferred questions regarding that omission to the person he said was the real author of the bill: Kristen, a fifth-grader at Cedar Hill Intermediate in House Springs.

So they're letting some 10-year-old brat determine the thrust of their Carrie Nation jihad?

[Reeses]

regular miller or budwieser has to be cold.

Colder dulls the sense of taste allowing a cheaper beer to be sold. This law will just encourage better quality beer.

[Hugin]

So you are on your way home from work on a hot day. A cold beer sounds great! Just stop by the store a block from home, pick up a sixer, pop it in the fridge and wait two hours for it to get cold.

BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gil4]

The appropriate serving temperature for English beer is cellar temperature (about 55-60 deg. F). Unless you keep your house pretty cold...

Now there are plenty of places in the summer that serve the beer a lot warmer than they should, mainly because many pubs still don't have refrigeration in the cellar. But the beer does go bad a lot faster that way. (Cask conditioned beer is fragile stuff.)

[mugs99]

The Anheiser Busch family should have alredy paid this guy off by now

Or they paid him to get rid of the competition. You can store Bush beer at room temp, or above. Coors and some specialty beers must be kept cool or they skunk.
.

[wildbill]

"Wanna see this car do something really cool? Hold ma beer and watch this."

[Oztrich Boy]

Alter, R-High Ridge, introduced a bill in the Missouri House this week that would bar groceries and convenience stores from selling beer "that is refrigerated below 60 degrees."
Alter said Friday that his aim is to discourage drunken drivers -

Won't work (At least that's the result of a similar program they tried in England.)

[Oztrich Boy]

So you are on your way home from work on a hot day. A cold beer sounds great! Just stop by the store a block from home, pick up a sixer, pop it in the fridge and wait two hours for it to get cold.
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Take
2. Fill completely with
3. take
4. Open carefully Opening a warm (or even cold) bottle of Coopers Sparkling Ale is not for the inexperienced.
5. Pour Ale over ice to fill mug
6. Drink
7 repeat until satisfied.

(Yeah I thought it sounded crazy until I tried it. Coopers Sparkiling has the strenght, taste, and CO2 level to handle it)