Alabama regulators propose rule requiring craft brewers to collect data on customers

[MaxStout]

Big brother is alive and well.

 

[microbusbrewery]

Holy cr@p, and I thought we had it bad in Utah.

 

[day_trippr]

So, does that mean one cannot buy two cases of Bud Lite at the grocery, too?
And does the cashier have to record the buyer's info?

Cheers!

 

[Zuljin]

They could just do away with the 288 oz law, and not have to bother with enforcing that or crafting and enforcing this new proposed law. Doubly efficient, right there. Vote Zuljin 2016.

 

[myelo]

Holy cr@p, and I thought we had it bad in Utah.

I've never lived in Utah, but I spent 25 years in Alabama and can confirm that it is indeed a state run by idiots.

Exhibit A: homebrewing not legal until 2013.

 

[soccerdad]

As we like to say in GA .. "They're more than just an hour behind us in AL."

But really, don't you assume that the legislation was written by the BMC distributor lobbyists and several hundred thousand dollars were dropped into the 'campaigns' of sitting lawmakers who just might be friendly to the non craft beer boys.

 

[microbusbrewery]

I've never lived in Utah, but I spent 25 years in Alabama and can confirm that it is indeed a state run by idiots.

Exhibit A: homebrewing not legal until 2013.

Well, we only beat you by a few years; legalized in 2009. Technically it wasn't illegal before that, it's just that there wasn't any distinction between a homebrewer and a commercial brewer. So if you posted a $10,000 bond with the state, you could legally homebrew.

 

[myelo]

As we like to say in GA .. "They're more than just an hour behind us in AL."

But really, don't you assume that the legislation was written by the BMC distributor lobbyists and several hundred thousand dollars were dropped into the 'campaigns' of sitting lawmakers who just might be friendly to the non craft beer boys.

Wouldn't be surprised. The county I grew up in was at the time one of the largest dry counties in the country. There were two groups keeping it that way. The Baptists. And the bootleggers.

What's the saying ... Politics makes strange bedfellows?

 

[wlwesq]

As long as people keep voting the same people into office...what's that Einstein saying about repeating behavior and expecting different results? Insanity.

 

[Opiate42]

So, does that mean one cannot buy two cases of Bud Lite at the grocery, too?
And does the cashier have to record the buyer's info?

Cheers!

Somehow I doubt that, smacks to me of something the BMC companies are likely sponsoring in the background.

The rule specifies "in-state" and "brewpubs", local production only. So anything produced out of state and brought in is evidently excluded. The big guys don't want local small-brewer competition.

There were two groups keeping it that way. The Baptists. And the bootleggers.

So not surprised

 

[brewbama]

Well, you gotta love these bassackwards lawmakers. The local Brewers say they knew about that several months ago through brewers guild and FTH. The ABC has already backed down on that. But they are now being dicks about other things. You'd never guess the nation's space program is based here. There are definitely no rocket scientists in Monkeytown. 1D10T5

 

[TBC]

Well, you gotta love these bassackwards lawmakers. The local Brewers say they knew about that several months ago through brewers guild and FTH. The ABC has already backed down on that. But they are now being dicks about other things. You'd never guess the nation's space program is based here. There are definitely no rocket scientists in Monkeytown. 1D10T5

Our space program is based out of Alabama! Boy are we screwed. That's almost like having it in West Virginia, the kiss your cousin state!

 

[mattd2]

So a case of 12oz bottles is exactly 288oz, but to ensure there is 12oz in every bottle would the brewery not have to err on the side of overfilling - therefor could you reasonably assume that when you are buying a case of beer in Al that you are most likely breaking the law?

 

[btbnl]

Our space program is based out of Alabama!

Hell no! Marshall Space Flight Center specializes in rocket propulsion systems (from Saturn V to ISS), but it's certainly not the base.

 

[soccerdad]

So if a graduate of the University of Alabama marries a graduate of West Virginia University, but they get divorced five years later .... are they still first cousins?

 

[kh54s10]

As long as people keep voting the same people into office...what's that Einstein saying about repeating behavior and expecting different results? Insanity.

This is so true. Voters in my state (RI) have been expecting different results for decades.

We rank near the worst in most categories........

Yet the vote goes the same way in every election!!!

I bet our legislature is sitting around trying to figure out a way to tax homebrew.

 

[user 198378]

This isn't 'assbackward' or has anything to do with being a 'dry state.' It has to do with Big Beer companies wanting to better understand the craft marketplace and idiot regulators taking bribes to supply them with the details on how to beat the craft industry. Alabama won't be the last.

Collect your own damn data Big Beer!

 

[Homercidal]

This isn't 'assbackward' or has anything to do with being a 'dry state.' It has to do with Big Beer companies wanting to better understand the craft marketplace and idiot regulators taking bribes to supply them with the details on how to beat the craft industry. Alabama won't be the last.

Collect your own damn data Big Beer!

It seems more straightforward than that to me. I think it sounds like Big Beer is simply trying to make it harder for Craft Beer to sell. They know that craft beer is more likely to sell in these places and this is extra work for them.

Not only that, but customers may think twice about giving out personal information. This can make it seem to them that the Craft Brewer is the problem.

I doubt they need this kind of information to understand craft beer any better. They are experts in beer and marketing. They already know what's going on.

 

[beernutz]

Wouldn't be surprised. The county I grew up in was at the time one of the largest dry counties in the country. There were two groups keeping it that way. The Baptists. And the bootleggers.

What's the saying ... Politics makes strange bedfellows?

My take on this ABC board regulation is that the distributors are the man behind the curtain on it. It wouldn't surprise me if they are also Baptists.

 

[beernutz]

So if a graduate of the University of Alabama marries a graduate of West Virginia University, but they get divorced five years later .... are they still first cousins?

What's the biggest lie told at Georgia?
"I was just helping that sheep over the fence."

 

[kramer2500]

I'm confused. Can you only buy 288 oz of just craft beer or all beer (including BMC)? So there are absolutely no private sales of kegs in AL?

 

[beernutz]

I'm confused. Can you only buy 288 oz of just craft beer or all beer (including BMC)? So there are absolutely no private sales of kegs in AL?

The proposed regulation only applies to direct brewery sales. If BMC had a brewery here which offered direct sales it would apply to them as well. You can buy kegs at lots of retailers but they would not be subject to this regulation.

I'm no insider but my take is that this is being pushed through the regulatory commission by beer distributors.

 

[Homercidal]

Yeah, that's what stinks about the whole thing. They are purposely targeting the people who are going to be direct selling, not the big boys (And distributors).

If this was any way about safety or preventing social problems, it would apply across the entire market. The distributors are trying to keep (a very small portion) of beer sales flowing through them, and keep themselves aligned with Big Beer, who are most likely to send them perks and incentives.

 

[jmark]

Hell - I'm in GA and would be happy to give the brewery my info if I was even allowed to buy direct from them... damn distributors have the politicians in their back pocket in this state. No direct sales, period. We do have 'souvenirs' (up to 72 oz) that can be given away 'free with a tour'... even then, that can cause problems. Creature Comforts out of Athens got into hot water when some holier-than-thou police officer complained that they didn't get the tour but got the souvenirs... luckily nothing came of it, but the whole souvenir thing is ridiculous when compared to neighboring states where direct sales are allowed to some degree.

 

[wlwesq]

Stepping back for a minute, the big picture problem here is the way campaigns are financed. It affects all issues at the state and national levels. Once legislators are elected, they need $$$ to get re-elected. Big donors give a lot of money to candidates for re-election, and thus the big donors often get their agenda favored as compared to us little donors.

Regardless of your issue--global warming, regulation of Wall Street, tax reform, whatever--the problem won't get solved until we change how we finance campaigns in this country.

Watch this 20 minute presentation and you'll get a better explanation. The guy's a Harvard law professor, very smart, and he's correct.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim?language=en

 

[brewbama]

Hell no! Marshall Space Flight Center specializes in rocket propulsion systems (from Saturn V to ISS), but it's certainly not the base.

Your right. "Based" was too strong. But they do more than propulsion. It's pretty cool to watch.

The largest NASA center, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program. Marshall has been the agency's lead center for Space Shuttle propulsion and its external tank; payloads and related crew training; International Space Station (ISS) design and assembly; and computers, networks, and information management.

 

[brewbama]

Our space program is based out of Alabama! Boy are we screwed. That's almost like having it in West Virginia, the kiss your cousin state!

LOL. Nothing like an uninformed definitive statement. The city is nicknamed "The Rocket City" for its close association with U.S. space missions. On January 31, 1958, ABMA placed America's first satellite, Explorer 1, into orbit using a Jupiter-C launch vehicle, a descendant of the Redstone. This brought national attention to Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville, with widespread recognition of this being a major center for high technology. Huntsville is also where Army Aviation, the Missile Defense Agency, and a lot of other interesting programs reside. There are a bunch of rocket scientists here and aerospace engineers and on and on. You might be surprised at what the universities here teach these folks.

Oh... and Space Camp. Kids love it! It's at the Space and Rocket Center. Check it out!

 

[brewbama]

Stepping back for a minute, the big picture problem here is the way campaigns are financed. It affects all issues at the state and national levels. Once legislators are elected, they need $$$ to get re-elected. Big donors give a lot of money to candidates for re-election, and thus the big donors often get their agenda favored as compared to us little donors.

Regardless of your issue--global warming, regulation of Wall Street, tax reform, whatever--the problem won't get solved until we change how we finance campaigns in this country.

Watch this 20 minute presentation and you'll get a better explanation. The guy's a Harvard law professor, very smart, and he's correct.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim?language=en

Spot on

 

[myelo]

The city is nicknamed "The Rocket City" for its close association with U.S. space missions.

And before that, Redstone Arsenal was home of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, later to become the Army Missile Command, among other names. This was the center of the research and development for all of the US Army Missile systems. If it flies and blows up, it was probably developed in Huntsville.