Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided  (Read 13289 times)

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #15 on: September 27, 2012, 09:37:48 am »
A little civil disobedience never hurt anybody.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #16 on: September 27, 2012, 12:41:11 pm »
A little civil disobedience never hurt anybody.

True....but you have to be ready to pay the price.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #17 on: September 27, 2012, 01:09:10 pm »
A little civil disobedience never hurt anybody.

True....but you have to be ready to pay the price.

Also true. And I doubt civil disobedience was their intent.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline mmitchem

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 358
  • Suffolk, VA
    • http://www.barfclub.org
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #18 on: September 27, 2012, 01:14:10 pm »
I really hope that this sort of things brings enough attention to the issue. I feel lucky to live in a place where we can freely purchase supplies and brew without any threat of being raided. Hopefully one day Alabama can say the same!
Michael P Mitchem
Beer and Ale Research Foundation (B.A.R.F.)
AHA Member since 2011

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4874
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #19 on: September 29, 2012, 06:59:54 am »
This definitely helps bring about discussion, but before you start thinking that only a couple of states are in the dark ages, think again.  Here in Illinois we are hoping for a bill to pass allowing homebrew to be served at festivals and competitions, like Wisconsin just passed recently.  Technically, under Illinois law as it presently stands, home brew is for consumption at home by the brewer, family members and guests.  So far, the State looks the other way in almost all instances except where an admission is charged.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/illinois-homebrew-bill-dr_n_1884947.html

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/dining/bars-and-clubs-other/hip-hops/homebrew-barred-from-st-louis-beer-festival/article_110a5560-b4ab-11e1-a55f-001a4bcf6878
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline dbeechum

  • Global Moderator
  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • *****
  • Posts: 2913
  • Pasadena, CA
    • Experimental Brewing
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #20 on: September 29, 2012, 09:11:45 am »
As we have states paying more and more attention to this sort of thing, you can bet we'll be responding to it.
Drew Beechum - Maltosefalcons.com
- Vote in the AHA GC Election! - http://bit.ly/1aV9GVd  -
-----
Burbling:
Gnome is in the Details
*Experimental Brewing - The Book*
Tap:
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Tupelo Mead
Farmhouse Brett Saison

Offline nateo

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2336
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #21 on: September 29, 2012, 11:49:48 am »
Passing legislation takes a long time. Changing enforcement priorities seems like a quicker fix. In MO lots of places sell distilling gear, and the state liquor agency doesn't care. I also suspect the agents here just don't think it's worth their time, but it's likely that attitude is coming from those above them. So in some cases it's better to have ineffectual or indifferent bureaucrats than gung-ho neo-prohibitionists.
In der Kürze liegt die Würze.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11320
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #22 on: September 29, 2012, 12:48:22 pm »
The bill almost passed this last year but it never came up for a vote in the house. We have some fairly powerful organizations that are really making progress here in Alabama. We have come a long, long way over the last 5 years - we went from a state that didn't allow ABV over 6% or bottles over 12 oz to now having beer up to 14% and bottles up to 22oz or 750 ml. Still a lot of work that needs to be done but our beer laws are better here no than in a lot of the country (PA, for instance.)
 
I truly feel homebrew legalization is only a year or two away.

Offline sobcoa75

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Looking to take a pay cut and brew professionally!
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #23 on: September 29, 2012, 01:10:11 pm »
Amazing!!  Are they going to raid the kitchen supply stores too because they sell pots big enough to brew beer?

I do enjoy the soundbites from the legislature but would gladly give them up if they would just legalize homebrewing in Alabama and free our "criminal" brothers and sisters.

Then you might as well raid Wal-Mart too.  I bought a large colander/mesh strainer there that I use to filter wort as I pour it into primary.  We can't be selling that kind of stuff, after all. 

Does anyone else think it is at least slightly strange that it is apparently perfectly OK to purchase beer and wine "pre-homebrewed" at a large brewery/factory but it is not OK to brew at home.   That is like saying it is OK to buy a hamburger at McDonalds, but if you fire up your grill at home, we are going to come confiscate your ground sirloin.   It makes absolutely no sense at all.

It makes perfect sense, unfortunately.  The state makes a lot of money from the commercial sale of beer, wine, and liquor, but only a small amount (if any) on the ingredients used to make alcohol at home.  This is the true reason why it is not legal.
Special Operations Brewers Chief of Awesomeness!

Offline hubie

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 234
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #24 on: October 01, 2012, 09:06:35 am »
It makes perfect sense, unfortunately.  The state makes a lot of money from the commercial sale of beer, wine, and liquor, but only a small amount (if any) on the ingredients used to make alcohol at home.  This is the true reason why it is not legal.

I understand the money angle having grown up in a county in Maryland that is the alcohol distributor (Montgomery), then went off to school in a state that did the same thing (PA).  However in this case I don't see it as about money because it would be too little to be on anyone's radar.  I see it more as typical prohibition-minded morality combined with  middle-class suburban angst ("think of the children!") preventing change.  Several years ago I asked my County Councilwoman whether I would ever see the day when I can go into a grocery store and buy a six-pack of beer (I envy all of you who can), and she told me that of all the laws they consider and debate, only two topics really get opposition support riled up: anything to do with alcohol and playgrounds.  I was expecting the first, but not the second answer.  Apparently some people are afraid that if you put in a new playground, it will attract teenagers who will hang out, deal drugs, etc., etc.  My take on it  is that it is easier to maintain the status quo than it is to deal with organized opposition, even if the opposition is a small minority of opinion.

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4874
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #25 on: October 01, 2012, 05:38:28 pm »
We need to get those legislators to a homebrew festival.  Maybe Philly?
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11320
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #26 on: October 02, 2012, 06:07:49 am »
We need to get those legislators to a homebrew festival.  Maybe Philly?

You are gonna get a bunch of Southern Baptists to a Homebrew Festival? Clearly few of you understand the south.  ;)

And it is not the revenue, in this case. It is old school ignorance - simply put, Southern Baptist legislators who think beer is a sin and "bathtub beer" will make you blind, or worse. They fear children will be making hooch in their parents's shed and that home brew shops will make it easy for people to make highly toxic, highly intoxicating beverages that will destroy the mind and soul. Or, at the very least, that is what they are told by their constituency.

Now, other beer laws (like the ABV, container size, sales on premise, etc.) have been thwarted by the big beer distributors in Alabama and they have a powerful lobby which is why it has taken us so long to ctach up with the rest of the nation. But I can assure you that the big distributors care less about homebrewers. It ain't on their radar.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2012, 06:10:03 am by majorvices »

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4874
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #27 on: October 03, 2012, 04:59:52 am »
My point, while tongue firmly planted in cheek, is that their mindset is only going to change when they see that homebrewers are regular people and not derelicts and that our gatherings are about having fun and sharing the fruits of our hobby.  Who could deny that if immersed in our culture, if only for a day?
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline deepsouth

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1008
  • Brew Maison
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #28 on: October 03, 2012, 06:04:38 am »
My point, while tongue firmly planted in cheek, is that their mindset is only going to change when they see that homebrewers are regular people and not derelicts and that our gatherings are about having fun and sharing the fruits of our hobby.  Who could deny that if immersed in our culture, if only for a day?

i feel your sentiment, however many of the mindsets down here are that alcohol is neither fun nor a fruit of a hobby.  it's more like da debil's juice.
Hoppy Homebrewers of South Mississippi (est. 2009)

AHA# 196703

bottled:     white house honey ale

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11320
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Homebrew Store in Alabama Raided
« Reply #29 on: October 03, 2012, 10:21:04 am »
Who could deny that if immersed in our culture, if only for a day?

When you get a moment do a search on "Alvin Holmes: what's wrong with the beer we got?"