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Indiana lawmakers hear about cold beer laws

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana lawmakers are taking another look at the state’s alcohol laws.

Monday’s focus was cold beer.

Convenience stores can only sell beer at room temperature, but they want that to change.

Jay Ricker became a household name in Indiana after finding a loophole in the state’s alcohol laws. He got a restaurant liquor license so he could sell cold beer, rather than warm, along with his stores’ hot burritoes.

That was all short-lived after the legislature found out and closed the loophole.

But now the cold beer issue is back on the table.

The special committee talked about it Monday.

Dozens spoke, and many against the idea of having cold beer sold in convenience stores.

Issues they brought up with underage drinking, binge drinking and drunken driving.

But Ricker said his stores already sell beer, so the temperature won’t exacerbate those issues.

Several alcohol counselors and even parents of kids who died while drinking spoke out. They said getting alcohol is already convenient and doesn’t need to be easier.

The committee on alcohol code revision is scheduled to meet four more times.