Malt Liquor

When Democrats controlled the Assembly, the wine, beer and liquor industry routinely killed efforts to prohibit corner grocery stores from selling high-alcohol "wine" and malt liquors. This year, Assemblyman Bruce Thompson (R-Fallbrook), who is part of the GOP's leadership and has taken up the cause, proclaimed that no bill was more important to him than his legislation to halt fortified wine and malt liquor sales in groceries, limiting them to stores with liquor licenses.

The Michigan Liquor Control Commission has banned the drink Four Loko and dozens of similar alcoholic drinks from being sold in the state. Known as "blackout in a can" for its combination of caffeine and 12% alcohol, Four Loko is one of 55 drinks that the state banned Thursday. The commission reversed its approval of all energy drinks that contain alcohol, citing safety reasons, and is giving manufacturers of the beverages 30 days to remove them from store shelves. "The commission's concern for health, safety and welfare of Michigan citizens and the fact that there is not enough research to validate that these products are safe for consumption has made me believe that until further research is done by the FDA, they should no longer be on Michigan shelves," Michigan Liquor Control Commission Chairwoman Nida Samona said in the statement.

Police Chief Cam Sanchez wants to crack down on stores that sell malt liquor and beer near the city's Casa Esperanza homeless shelter. The 30-bed shelter plans to expand to 100 beds. The Planning Commission approved the expansion in December, but nearby property owners appealed the decision to the City Council. Sanchez said he will discuss a crackdown on stores that sell alcohol with state Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control officials.

In the video to Pitbull's latest chart-topper, "Give Me Everything," he pours a glass of Voli vodka, careful to display the label; in the lyrics and video for his single, "Rain Over Me," he hails the vodka as the new "it" drink. In both clips, the bottle takes center stage as the rapper is swarmed by flashing neon lights, svelte models and crooning pop wingmen. Name-check references to the high life of liquor or drugs is nothing new to rap — a study released just weeks ago from the University of Pittsburgh and Dartmouth University found that for every hour that American teens listen to music, they hear more than three references to brand-name alcohol in rap/R&B/hip-hop lyrics.

The surgeon general appealed Tuesday for a public outcry against brewers who she says target Indians, blacks and other minorities with high-alcohol products such as Crazy Horse malt liquor. "Together we can do what none of us can do alone," Antonia Coello Novello told a House committee. "We must tell the alcohol industry that we have had enough disease, enough disability, enough addiction and enough death." Indians have expressed outrage at the Hornell Brewing Co.

First came Singha and Amarit. Now there's Thai Song Kran, the latest in a line of beers to go with Thai food. The difference is, this one is brewed in California, not Thailand. It's a malt liquor, like Singha, but the taste is smoother, and there's a slight edge of sweetness that goes perfectly with spicy-sweet Thai dishes. Victor Sodsook, chef at the Siamese Princess restaurant in Los Angeles, commissioned the brew from St. Stans Brewing Company in Modesto.