Cheap beer, wine banned in parts of Seattle

SEATTLE — The state on Wednesday approved a ban on 29 brands of low-cost, high-alcohol wine and beer in several Seattle neighborhoods, a move requested by Mayor Greg Nickels to reduce problems caused by homeless alcoholics.

More than six square miles of the city have been designated “alcohol impact areas” by the state Liquor and Control Board, including Capitol Hill and the University District.

Liquor board Chairman Merritt Long said the board was persuaded by complaints by Seattle residents, and noted there are 4,000 other brands of beer available for sale in the state.

Banned are cheap malt liquors, including Olde English 800 and Colt 45, and fortified wines such as Cisco.

Store owners in those neighborhoods will have to stop selling the prohibited products by Nov. 1.

Similar rules were approved by the state for Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood in 2002.

Liquor board spokesman Bob Burdick said the ban is “a tool, it’s not a panacea.”

“Seattle is taking a very holistic approach to this,” he said. “This is just one tool in a whole series of things they are attempting to do.”