I just heard about Alabama’s success in permitting commercial beer to be sold in bottles up to 750ml on National Public Radio today. Even the Free the Hops group was cited in the report. Congratulations! They’ll have to find more space in the shops now.
I understand that they could only have beer in pint bottles or smaller prior to this.
I heard that just before I got to work too.
Congratulations to Alabama!!! One hurdle down.
Paul
+1
The laws here in the south still need some work, but these steps are signs of progress. Props to Free the Hops in AL and Raise your Pints in MS for all their hard work to change antiquated laws.
Thanks guys. Very excited to see bottles on the shelf that we could not get before. The free the hops organization, which I have been an active member in from the start (and now the Brewer’s Guild of Alabama is partnered with FTH) has done an outstanding job of unshackling us from antiquated and ignorant beer laws. Many of you may know that it was illegal to sell beer over 6% only a few years ago. Now we have a huge selection of beers and today it will be getting even better.
Also, we will be selling our first beer packaged in 22 oz sometime in September.
There are three things I would like to see. 1) homebrewing prohibition lifted. 2) On premise sales for breweries. 3) Relaxation of some of the strict brewpub laws. Homebrew prohibition is going to fall in the next couple of years. The other two I’m not so sure about, especially the 2nd because it takes profits out of the hands of our distributors. But if we get those three lifted then there is not much more work that needs done.
One sour note: Arrogant Bastard has been denied in Al due to the name. (insert eyeroll).
Also, the Alabama Brewers Guild had as much, if not more, to do with the passage of the bottle law as did FTH.
Virginia got your #2 done finally this year so maybe there’s hope for you guys
Guess the “Bastard” ban has been lifted! :o
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/08/02/alabama-lifts-ban-on-selling-bastard-named-beers/