One State Trying to Ban Cold Beer: Could it Happen in Colorado?

Whether you imbibe or not, it's no secret that beer is a big part of Colorado's history and present identity. Adolph Coors founded his famous namesake beer in Colorado and the Coors brewery is still operating in Golden, New Belgium's headquarters and primary brewery is in Fort Collins, and countless microbreweries like Odell, Breckenridge, and Tommyknocker originated in the Centennial State and have become successful nationwide.

Despite this undeniable fact, there are undoubtedly extremely serious repercussions for overindulging in alcoholic beverages and because of this, the state of Tennessee is pushing a bill through Congress that would ban the retail sale of cold beer in the state.

Could Colorado Ever Ban the Sale of Cold Beer?

The news that Tennessee is getting closer and closer to banning the sale of cold beer by the day has to provoke the thought, could a similar law ever be passed in Colorado?

First, let's look at the reasoning behind the bill. The Tennessee lawmakers that are pushing the bill argue that if a retailer like a liquor store, convenience store, etc. is only allowed to sell beer at room temperature, the purchaser is less likely to crack open the beer in their vehicle while driving.

While this rationale would certainly be applicable only on a case-by-case basis, there's no question that any deterrent to drunk driving would be a positive thing.

Tennessee is currently the state with the twelfth-most cases of DUIs in the country, with Colorado ranking just above the halfway point at number 21. The state with the most reported DUIs is Montana, followed by South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, and North Dakota.

While it's unclear whether or not this ban on cold beer in Tennessee will pass, if it does and proves to be successful in curbing drunk driving, there are quite a few other states that should likely consider a similar initiative before Colorado hops on the wagon.