Is ______ State Really Beer Hell?

[Zuljin]

Really? I've heard people say they we're in so and so state, beer hell. They say it about Texas. I don't know why.

Texas has 9 commercial breweries, just that I know of. Rahr and Sons, Saint Arnold and Shiner make some excellent beers. We have brew brew pubs. Beer is sold in beer stores, grocery stores and gas stations. We get beer from around the world here too. And we've got places like the Flying Saucer and there are seemingly regular bars that have some interesting selections if one looks in the cooler behind the bar or asks.

I just looked up dry counties in Texas. We have 22 dry. 46 wet. Having any dry does kinda blow, for my beer desiring tastes, but hey, if the majority wants it that way, they live there.

Dry or wet though, home brewing is legal state wide.

Texas. Not beer hell.

 

[JoeBronco]

California... O'Wait. Nevermind.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Florida used to be beer hell. Then Cigar City happened. Now if Cantillon was once again distributed here, it'd be beer heaven.

 

[DeafSmith]

I just looked up dry counties in Texas. We have 22 dry. 46 wet.

What about the other 186 counties? And I agree that it's not beer hell.

 

[Zuljin]

What about the other 186 counties? And I agree that it's not beer hell.

Nobody lives out there, so they don't have any rules.

I dunno. Just did a quick glance.

 

[JonM]

Milwaukee, Wisconsin. One giant brewery, two awesome regional breweries, countless snall breweries and brewpubs, awesome shops, a Northern Brewer retail store, our MLB team is the Brewers at Miller Park, we have the Pabst theater, Uihlein Hall (that's the family that made Schlitz), the Schlitz Audobon center, and on and on.

 

[usfmikeb]

I think that every state probably has some quirks to it that create friction to "free flowing" beer. For example, Virginia has a law that requires manufacturers to make an application and pay a fee for each product they want to sell in the state. So, if a manufacturer makes a small run batch, they aren't likely to sell it in Virginia because they won't bother to apply to have the product sold in the state. Additionally, due to this requirement, some manufacturers have limited their portfolio in the state, instead of distributing their entire portfolio here.

Not beer hell, but still something that makes it difficult to get all the beers I'd like to drink.

 

[usfmikeb]

BTW, I don't know anything more about the law, that's just what I was told by the manager of our local Total Wine when I moved here and came in with a list of beers that they didn't carry that I was able to buy at a Total in a different state.

 

[Zamial]

Milwaukee, Wisconsin. One giant brewery, two awesome regional breweries, countless snall breweries and brewpubs, awesome shops, a Northern Brewer retail store, our MLB team is the Brewers at Miller Park, we have the Pabst theater, Uihlein Hall (that's the family that made Schlitz), the Schlitz Audobon center, and on and on.

I think that Wisconsin has LOTS of great breweries. We have poor distribution No DFH, Russian River, Stone or some of the other "super over hyped" West/East coast breweries but we have our own superstars as you started to mention. Who won 1st at last years GABF? New Glarus...

The UW Madison has been the Number 1 party collage in the ENTIRE USA for so long that it was removed from every poll/competition on the grounds that we in WI are "professional drinkers/partiers ." Quick glance at my sig.

We have other issues here that I am going to refrain from mentioning because it will just derail the thread into oblivion...

 

[RDWHAHB]

Nevada is beer hell best I can tell from a recent visit. I only visited texas once; beer didn't even make it to my top 10 reasons why it was hell. Of course that doesn't mean the beer scene was all that great...

 

[Homercidal]

I can't think of anything that I could point to that would deem Michigan a Beer Hell state. I love it here! There are a few things that could be improved upon, but they are relatively minor compared to many other places.

But I understand what you mean about Texas. I hear descriptions about how good it is from some people and other people can do nothing but complain. I guess it depends on where you live? I never knew Texas had dry counties.

 

[m_c_zero]

Not sure if it is a law or just a suggestion or if anyone even follows it, but all the microbrew pubs here in New Mexico that I have been to have a rule that they can only serve you 3 beers per visit, though with most of them boasting a 6% or better ABV, 3 is all you really need to get the job done...

 

[rhamilton]

Texas is far from beer hell -- I have 11 breweries within a 20 mile radius

Oklahoma is indeed beer hell from hell, endorsed by Satan himself with a full scholarship to the elite 11th Level of beer hell.

Only 'low-point' beers (3.2% ABW / ~4.0% ABV) can be sold cold. Everything above 3.2 can only be sold at room temperature and only by liquor stores.....

Welcome To Beer Hell.

 

[Barnzy02]

I think that every state probably has some quirks to it that create friction to "free flowing" beer. For example, Virginia has a law that requires manufacturers to make an application and pay a fee for each product they want to sell in the state. So, if a manufacturer makes a small run batch, they aren't likely to sell it in Virginia because they won't bother to apply to have the product sold in the state. Additionally, due to this requirement, some manufacturers have limited their portfolio in the state, instead of distributing their entire portfolio here.

Not beer hell, but still something that makes it difficult to get all the beers I'd like to drink.

+1

While, it's far cry from beer 'hell' living in Philly/PA, tons of great breweries in the area, tons of great beer bars that are always getting good beer in from all around

However, the state Liquor laws are awful and you can only get beer at 'beer stores' or a sixer/40oz at some bodega in the hood.

No booze in grocery stores or anything like that here

Sunday liquor sales only recently were allowed. ****ing quakers.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

New York- you might need a second mortgage to buy it, but if its wet and you want it, its available.

And currently we have a guv who agrees with my positions on things about 80% of the time, which is a new record I think.

Edit: Which I mention because of the new small brewery/winery legistlation he has championed.

 

[TxBrew]

Really? I've heard people say they we're in so and so state, beer hell. They say it about Texas. I don't know why.

Texas has 9 commercial breweries, just that I know of. Rahr and Sons, Saint Arnold and Shiner make some excellent beers. We have brew brew pubs. Beer is sold in beer stores, grocery stores and gas stations. We get beer from around the world here too. And we've got places like the Flying Saucer and there are seemingly regular bars that have some interesting selections if one looks in the cooler behind the bar or asks.

I just looked up dry counties in Texas. We have 22 dry. 46 wet. Having any dry does kinda blow, for my beer desiring tastes, but hey, if the majority wants it that way, they live there.

Dry or wet though, home brewing is legal state wide.

Texas. Not beer hell.

Don't forget HomeBrewTalk is hosted in Texas as well.

 

[IXVolt]

Don't forget HomeBrewTalk is hosted in Texas as well.

Does that make this a "dry" site?

lol

 

[the_bird]

Every time I hear people bitching about the lack of good beer they have access to, I sit back, smile, and enjoy living up here. Even the crappy little packies around here sell good craft beer. Almost every place has at least as much shelf space dedicated to craft brews as they do to macros. There are a couple stores that are basically Mecca, and little restaurants with 100+ beers on tap. People drink good beer out here.

 

[dfc]

I can't complain about Arizona. We get great beers here (although Avery just pulled their distribution out of AZ ) and we have several breweries and brewpubs here.

From what I hear though Utah is true beer Hell.

 

[stevea1210]

PA does have extremely archaic liquor laws. They stifle a lot of competition and options.

However, I live in Lancaster, and with the newest brewery set to open in 4-5 weeks, we'll have 13 breweries in the county.

By the end of June, I will have a brewery at each end of my works parking lot, and an awesome british pub 1/2 block away...not exactly beer hell.

 

[JoeBronco]

CA, has 201 Breweries... Ya, 10% of all craft breweries in the USA... We need to make a "Beer Heaven" Thread...

I have the list if anyone wants it...

 

[barneygumble]

Aren't there states that prohibit alcohol like Utah?

 

[bierhaus15]

I dunno, every time I've been to Cali it's pretty much the same beers as we get in NY, but lacking almost all of the good Midwest and East Coast stuff.

Kills me to say it, but NY ain't such a bad place.

 

[oakbarn]

Texas does have some odd laws regarding the sale of beer but I always have a home brew ready, Have not had to deal with those odd laws as my kegerator is open anytime.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Aren't there states that prohibit alcohol like Utah?

I don't believe there are any U.S. states that prohibit it, but they certainly have various restrictions. In many states it's up to reservations, counties and municipalities to decide whether or not they want to be dry or not.

 

[Barnzy02]

Aren't there states that prohibit alcohol like Utah?

I believe certain states prohibit alcohol content exceeding a certain amount.

Like in ____ state, you can't buy beer over 5.5% abv.

 

[TxBrew]

Does that make this a "dry" site?

lol

Lol.....

 

[bob1852]

Aren't there states that prohibit alcohol like Utah?

Salt Lake City has a couple of my favorite bars/pubs/micros I've been to: Redrock, Squatters, Beer Hive, etc.

And Squatters makes a mean ~9% IIPA.

 

[rhamilton]

Utah used to have the 'membership' law -- basically every bar you had to pay $1 to become a member and register your DL# at the place. It was overturned a few years back but it was funny walking into a bar and being asked "Are you a member?"

 

[edmanster]

And Squatters makes a mean ~9% IIPA.

Yup, Hop Rising is one of my favorites redrock Elephino is a great DIPA also but what our local micro's are good at is making great session beer that has the flavor of a style that is 5+% abv since you can't get anything above 3.2%abw but at the state liquor store and that selection sucks unless you have friends that work there.. You can get 3.2%abw almost everywhere around the state
Edit: and you can't get anything bigger than a 2 liter container so all kegs even the mini are out of question, oh and nothing above 3.2%abw on tap

 

[bob1852]

Yup, Hop Rising is one of my favorites redrock Elephino is a great DIPA also but what our local micro's are good at is making great session beer that has the flavor of a style that is 5+% abv since you can't get anything above 3.2%abw but at the state liquor store and that selection sucks unless you have friends that work there.. You can get 3.2%abw almost everywhere around the state

What's the Redrock session IPA? Junior IPA or something like that?

 

[edmanster]

What's the Redrock session IPA? Junior IPA or something like that?

Yup, junior and that's usually on tap only..

 

[bob1852]

Yup, junior and that's usually on tap only..

I e-mailed them asking for advice on a clone and they never responded.

 

[edmanster]

I e-mailed them asking for advice on a clone and they never responded.

Moab brewery make a great session IPA also. You might even have sum down south since it's in there fancy 16oz cans now..lol.. Kinda makes me dizzy looking at it

 

[zymurph]

Utah - beer hell! Outdoorsman's heaven though... That being said, I'm moving back to Texas. I'll miss Epic's beers, but I'll make up for it with access to St. Arnold's and Real Ale (to name a few).