Michigan House votes to hike alcohol content limits for canned cocktails

Beth LeBlanc, The Detroit News on Mar 13, 2026

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LANSING, Mich. — The alcohol content in canned, ready-to-drink mixed spirits 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).

"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 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.”

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.

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