Although alcohol-free beers were considered mild and harmless, the presence of EtG and EtS was detected in one study long after 17 hours after consumption. They are trying to detect ethylglucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS), two established metabolites of ethanol that are generally accepted as markers of ethanol absorption. Chances are anyone reading this is already familiar with some of the standard drinking and driving laws. For example, in 43 states, including Arizona, it is illegal for a driver to be in possession of an open container of alcohol while inspecting a motor vehicle. In most states, this restriction logically extends to everyone in the passenger compartment of the car. This means anyone who is in the front or rear seat, but also includes storing previously opened liquor bottles in the glove compartment or other unlocked storage areas. Under U.S. federal regulations, beer is considered alcohol-free if its ABV (percentage of alcohol by volume) is 0.5% or less. However, non-alcoholic beer laws vary from state to state. Therefore, consumers should be aware of their local laws before consuming their favorite non-alcoholic beer. Non-alcoholic beer has been around for a very long time, but – not surprisingly – became popular in a modern sense after the introduction of the Volstead Act in 1919.

Better known as prohibition, the Volstead Act banned the sale of alcohol with an alcohol content greater than 0.5%. At this point, many entrepreneurial brewers lowered the ABV percentage of their beer to the new maximum amount of alcohol and sold this version over the next thirteen years that prohibition was in effect. In fact, alcohol-free beer isn`t age-restricted in most states. That`s because the small amount of alcohol won`t make you drunk and probably won`t cause any health problems. In places where NA beer is age-restricted, this is usually because the jurisdiction does not distinguish between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer. The law explicitly defines beer or wine as “any beer or wine containing half a percent (0.5%) or more of alcohol. You are not allowed to drink non-alcoholic beer while driving. However, you can drive after drinking non-alcoholic beer as long as your blood alcohol level is below 0.08%. After the repeal of prohibition, and probably mainly because we are creatures of habit, the 0.5% ABV percentage remained largely as a limit on what is considered a “non-alcoholic” beverage – although technically there is still alcohol in it. But not much. You can drink non-alcoholic beer, depending on your work environment and policies.

However, keep in mind that the open container rule is allowed in the workplace, in public, and while driving. While the chances of you being intoxicated are minimal, it`s also about how ready the room you`re in is to welcome you. Work responsibilities and duties can also influence whether they cannot support alcohol or imitation alcoholic beverages. In most jurisdictions, drinking non-alcoholic beer while driving is probably acceptable. However, laws vary and it`s important to know what`s allowed where you live. For more information, check out our full article on the legality of drinking alcohol-free beer while driving. Can I distribute my state-approved alcohol-free beer in Florida? Or do I have to follow the law in 3 steps with a distributor? Despite the term “alcohol-free”, beers with this classification often contain alcohol. As mentioned earlier, the federal government classifies non-alcoholic beer as a grain beverage as long as it contains no more than 0.5% ABV. On the other hand, some states have more or less strict laws. However, there is the question of the applicable law in the state where you are located, which means that 30 states and the District of Columbia strictly prohibit all open containers in the car, whether they are alcoholic or not. In most states, non-alcoholic beer can be legally sold before 10 a.m. Because these states do not define them as alcoholic beverages, they can be sold without restriction in grocery stores or other retail stores.