Beer company touts higher alcohol content in Milwaukee ads

MILWAUKEE, Wis (AP) – Miller Coors says advertisements touting the alcohol content of one of its cheapest beers are aimed at transparency so consumers can make informed choices.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports billboards along the city’s freeway’s say the alcohol content of the Milwaukee’s Best Ice is now 6.9-percent, up from 5.9-percent.

Some experts connected to the beer industry are surprised the company is making alcohol content its primary pitch.

John Szymankiewicz, a North Carolina attorney who specializes in the craft beer industry, says Miller Coors is featuring the alcohol content increase as a reason customers should buy it.

Father Michael Pfleger, a priest in Chicago who has campaigned against alcohol advertising in poor neighborhoods, has criticized Miller Coors’ move.

Miller Coors spokesman Marty Maloney said in an email that the company has a long standing commitment to fighting alcohol abuse.