Michigan House votes to hike alcohol limits for canned cocktails sold like beer and wine

—

Lansing — The alcohol content in canned, ready-to-drink mixed spirits distributed by beer and wine wholesalers would increase significantly under legislation approved this week by the Michigan House.
The lower chamber voted 82-22 on Thursday in favor of a bill that would increase the allowed alcohol content in canned mixed spirit beverages distributed by beer and wine wholesalers from 13.5% to 21% alcohol by volume (ABV). Previously, those sales had been reserved for the jurisdiction of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
“This is just allowing for innovations in the market,” said state Rep. Joe Aragona, the Clinton Township Republican who sponsored the bill. “There’s really not a lot of these products at this point.”
“The alcohol industry has evolved over the last few years,” Aragona added in support of the bill last month. “We now have ready-to-drink mixed drinks that weren’t a thing even five, ten years ago.”
Spirits are largely handled by the state-run Michigan Liquor Control Commission, but there has been a carve-out for a couple of decades, allowing the sale of canned mixed-spirit drinks through private beer and wine wholesalers. Some examples of those drinks include High Noon, Jim Beam canned cocktails or Good Boy Vodka drinks.
Those canned, mixed-spirit drinks were capped at 10% ABV when sold by beer and wine distributors until lawmakers in 2021 passed legislation that increased the cap to 13.5%, allowing higher-alcohol-content drinks such as Cutwater canned cocktails.
“These products were not going to come into Michigan unless the change was made,” said Spencer Nevins, president of the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association. “The industry is continuing to really expand this category.”
More: Michigan per-mile tax eyed for some EVs as lawmakers look to future
Michigan House mulls per-mile tax for EV semis, garbage trucks
State Rep. Pat Outman, R-Six Rivers, testifies on Jan. 27, 2026 in support of legislation that would impose a per-mile tax on large commercial electric vehicles, such as EV semis or trash haulers.

The 21% alcohol content cap — the same cap that applies to wine sold through beer and wine distributors — allows space for continued innovation when it comes to canned cocktails in Michigan, Nevins said, especially amid declining sales of traditional alcohol products.
“This product looks and feels like a beer and is marketed like a beer,” making it a better fit for the beer and wine distributors, Nevins said. “It feels completely different than a liquor product.”
The legislation passed Thursday applies to cans ranging between 200 milliliters — or nearly 7 ounces — and 24 ounces.
Canned mixed spirits below 200 milliliters — such as BuzzBallz — or mixed spirit drinks packaged in bottles will continue to be regulated by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
[email protected]
Want to comment on this story? Become a subscriber today. Click here.

Must Read