Weak Draft Beer Found At Several Local Venues

ATLANTA,None — Metro Atlantans may not be getting what they pay for at some of the area's most popular venues. Channel 2 Action News reporter Tom Regan had draft beer from several venues tested and found many have alcohol contents way less than what you find in the store. The prices of beer at these venues range from $3-$8.

Federal guidelines state that all beer must reveal alcohol content on its label. Federal and state laws allow a plus or minus of .3 of the percentage on the label.

Regan poured two ounces of beer from each venue into clean dry bottles and sent it to Speed Laboratory, Inc. in Gwinnett County. The lab is FDA-registered. Regan measured the alcohol content tested in the lab to the figures each beer company posts as full-strength for alcohol content.

VIDEO: Weak Draft Beer Found At Several Local Venues

At Turner Field, the Bud Lite was legal. According to the company records, it is supposed to have a 4.2 percent alcohol content. Regan's came in at 3.9 percent which is within the federal guidelines. The Sam Adams Boston Lager was not legal. It's supposed to have 4.8% alcohol content. The Turner Field beer registered at 4.4 percent.

"It's a little shocking considering how they expensive they are," one fan said.

Regan's next stop was a concert at the Gwinnett Arena.

A Yeungling Lager is supposed to have 4.4 percent alcohol content. The one Regan tested came in at 3.1 percent. The Widmer Pale Ale was worse at nearly two percentage points lower. It's supposed to have 5 percent alcohol. His tested at 3.2 percent.

Verizon Amphitheater in Alpharetta yielded similar results. A Michelob Ultra that is supposed to have 4.1 percent alcohol content measured at percent. An $8 Bud Lite came in very low at 2.9 percent.

Philips Arena had the most draft beer choices with most costing $7.25 a glass. It's also where testing found some of the lowest alcohol contents.

Molson Ice is supposed to have 5.6 percent. Regan's registered a 3.2 percent. The Miller Lite, Bud Lite and Coors Lite all came in much lower than 4.2 percent at 3.1 percent, 3.1% and 2.9 percent respectively.

"When you come to a venue like this, you know what you're going to get," one patron said. "They know they have you trapped."

"Next time, I'm bringing my own beer," another patron said.

Each venue uses different catering companies for concessions. Regan contacted each of them. Three responded back and blamed the beer companies.

Two of the beer companies sent Regan statements.

Yuengling said it tests is beer regularly and couldn't comment on Channel 2's testing.

Anheuser-Busch said, "We only sell full-strength beer in Georgia, and strictly follow federal guidelines to make sure every package of beer that leaves our breweries meets the correct specification for alcohol content."

Anheuser-Busch also questioned the accuracy of Channel 2's lab tests. To validate the results, Regan had the lab test bottled beer we bought at the store. Its alcohol-content came back at full-strength.

WSBTV