ANDERSON – A novel shot has been fired in the fight for cold beer at convenience stores.
Gas stations across the state will soon offer “Glacier Bags,” reusable plastic containers that are advertised to chill warm beer as the customer drives home.
“The reusable Chill bags are a revolutionary take on traditional coolers because they allow customers access to readily available ice,” said Scot Imus, executive director of the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association. “… If the customer buys a product that stores are forced to sell warm, such as beer, the product will be cold by the time that customer reaches their destination.”
It’s the latest twist in a years-long battle between regulators, liquor stores and convenience stores to offer chiller alcohol to Hoosiers.
Currently, gas stations and grocery stores can only sell room-temperature beer, while many liquor stores hold a monopoly over the chilled variant, often charging a premium for the product.
While convenience stores have always offered coolers and bags of ice, the association argues the traditional Styrofoam cooler is expensive and impractical for many shoppers. That’s where the Glacier Bag comes in.
The bags are large enough to fit an entire six-pack and include a spout to clear out water after its done is job. Each purchase, at a suggested retail price of $6.99, also comes with a continued offer of free ice from the store’s fountain machine on subsequent purchases.
The bags can take a bottle or can from warm temperature to refreshingly cool in just 15 minutes, according to advertisements at chillindiana.com.
“This should not be viewed as a solution to our cold beer fight, as that battle continues,” Imus said. “This innovative approach does not run afoul of the cold beer prohibition because the customer will be chilling the beer after the point of purchase.”
The bags are manufactured by RP & Associates of Hermosa Beach, California. Stores are expected to start carrying the bags over the next several weeks, although some may have them in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
“After a one-time purchase of the Chill Indiana bags, Hoosiers will no longer be subjected to the unscrupulous pricing practices of the liquor store industry,” said Imus.
Lawmakers approved Sunday alcohol sales during the 2018 legislative session; however, a provision to allow gas stations to sell cold beer was quickly shut down.
Anderson-based Ricker's convenience stores used another creative idea to get around the cold beer ban near the end of 2016. The stores were refitted to include a small restaurant area, which allowed them access to the types of liquor licenses used by restaurants to sell alcohol, including cold beer.
However, lawmakers were quick to close the so-called loophole and passed legislation to prevent the convenience store chain from selling the cold brews.