Utah governor signs law raising alcohol limit for beer

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has signed into law a compromise deal reached by state lawmakers that raises the amount of alcohol allowed in beer sold in grocery and convenience stores.

Herbert announced the signing Tuesday afternoon of a law that raises the alcohol limit to 4 percent. That is still relatively low, but will allow for most production-line beers to be sold in grocery and convenience stores.

Utah had limited beer to 3.2 percent alcohol outside of state-owned liquor stores, but large breweries have been discontinuing weak-beer products as other states abandon similar limits.

Republican Sen. Jerry Stevenson originally wanted to raise alcohol limits to 4.8 percent, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and several lawmakers opposed that idea.

The state’s predominant faith teaches abstinence from alcohol and was neutral on the compromise.