Rant from Mississippi!!!

[waskelton4]

Ok..
So now I am a subscriber to "Draft" and "Beer Advocate" magazines..

I have enjoyed reading them, especially the beer reviews in the back.

[begin rant]
the latest version of beer advocate had ZERO beers in the back that I can get here in Mississippi because our stinking state is in the middle of the bible belt and can't sell beer containing more than 5% alcohol!!!

The owner of a gas station that has one of the better selections in town was telling me about how he was planning on buying 100 cases of celebration ale. i was pumped.. turns out he couldn't get it because of our stinkin law.

[/end rant]

thanks for listening..
sincerely,
bummed out in Mississippi

 

[joshpooh]

Hey 6 is the limit in West Virginia where I live, so I feel your pain. I can get a lil more than you, but still many good brews are unavailable.

 

[waskelton4]

Hey 6 is the limit in West Virginia where I live, so I feel your pain. I can get a lil more than you, but still many good brews are unavailable.

Sucks don't it!

I actually had a conversation yesterday with the same gas station dude and he was telling me that he also owns a liquor store and that they can sell beers over 5%. they just can't sell beers that are available elsewhere.

That is half of the problem.. the second half is that ALL of the alcohol sold in our state is first purchased by the ABC in the state and then re-sold to the liquor stores, gas stations and restaurants... etc.

so.. i guess it is time to get everyone that i currently know and everyone that i meet from here on out to call the ABC and their favorite liquor stores and tell them to get the good stuff!

this post is the beginning!

thanks for the help!

Will

 

[david_42]

Sounds like time for a grassroots campaign for craft beers. It's been done in other states.

 

[levandr]

I feel your pain.

Here in Montgomery County, Maryland, the county runs the beer/liquour stores. Because of that, we get absolutely no variety.

Granted, Virginia is a short drive away and they let everything in.

 

[JacktheKnife]

Wascelton4,

Hey man, you are a homebrewer!
Make your ale as strong as you want
and lots of it so as not to run out.
I live here in Texas and could buy anything if I had any money,
but I don't. I barely survived being murdered 6 years ago and have to brew just about everything I drink. With gas and the high cost of beer these days,
I have however been forced to improve my stuff,
and improve it I have!~
I had rather drink my own ale than good store bought beer.
And if you live in a repressed state with 'God' running the 'likker board',
just brew it strong, and don't run out.
That or can you get Tequilia?


jacksknifeshop.tripod.com

 

[Hinez57SouthernScotsman]

It's funny you bring this up Waskelton. There is in fact the start of a movement to change the beer laws in MS. Short version of the story, I got contacted over at ratebeer.com by the user Iheartbeer about 2 weeks ago. We're going to have an initial meeting the week of May 14th. I've got contact info for them, but the easiest way to get in touch would probably be to go over to ratebeer.com and search for user Iheartbeer. Leave them a message and they'll get back too ya. I'm not sure what the law is here, I thought it was a 6% law but we had a "very narrow" selection due to the existance of ABC controling the supply, which will be VERY hard to change. BTW I live in Clinton and haven't started homebrewing yet, funds/time issues, but will start VERY soon! Good news is that there is a homebrew club in Jackson!!! Shoot me an email at [email protected] for info on anything I discussed above.

Regards
PM

 

[waskelton4]

Thanks for the reply Hienz!

I went to ratebeer and found this list..

http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/TopAccessible.asp

top 50 "accessible" beers..

i counted only 9 that were available here..
work to be done!

ws

 

[waskelton4]

There is in fact the start of a movement to change the beer laws in MS. ...

Please include me! I would love to help.

Good news is that there is a homebrew club in Jackson!!!

How do I join!!

Let me know.

ws

 

[Evan!]

Yeah, luckily I live in VA, where the beer laws are relatively lax. Of course, that's balanced out with our arcane, unconstitutional "ABC" stores---state-government-run liquor stores that maintain a complete monopoly on the sale of distilled spirits. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is like a mini-third-reich here. The laws, even for beer, are silly sometimes. For instance, we can buy/sell mead. We can buy/sell geuze. But we can't buy/sell Hanssen's blend of mead and geuze, because the ABC doesn't have a specific classification for it. Huh?

There are also tons and tons of foreign beers, etc., that we cannot sell because the labels don't meet the absurd federal label restrictions.

North Carolina recently revoked their silly ABV beer limits, though, so progress is possible. What's most absurd about ABV laws is that you can buy a f*cking tractor trailer full of milwaukee's beast at 4.5% ABV, but you can't buy a single 12oz bottle of some craft brew that is 6%. It defies all logic and reason, it is irrationality at its highest...and it still happens.

 

[mgt2000]

I feel your pain.

Here in Montgomery County, Maryland, the county runs the beer/liquour stores. Because of that, we get absolutely no variety.

Granted, Virginia is a short drive away and they let everything in.

I'm in Montgomery County (MD) also and always wondered about why Virginia's beer selection seemed better than here! Now it makes sense!

Where in MD are you levandr?

 

[jpsloan]

I'm in Montgomery County (MD) also and always wondered about why Virginia's beer selection seemed better than here! Now it makes sense!

Where in MD are you levandr?

Not to be obtusely redundant, but... me too.

I usually default to whiskey when it takes too long, though.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

You know, its not impossible to get the law changed. I was living in NC when they raised the alcohol percentage allowed in beers. The market was quickly flooded with chimay and rogue imperials. This was less than 2 years ago I think.

 

[levandr]

This is the article explaining Montgomery County's (MD) process.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031201341.html

Interesting read. Luckily, we have DC and VA close by. Plus 2 homebrew stores (in Columbia and Frederick) so the situation is only slightly inconvenient.

Oh. And I live in Rockville.

 

[ltcsys]

I feel your pain. I moved from NC to MS about six months ago. I'm, uh, back in NC now You can always set up trades, etc. That's pretty much what got me through, as I didn't have any brewing supplies with me. I lived in Oxford, where you can't even buy cold beer. You can however, buy a cold bottle of liquor at the liquor store.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

You can't find **** for beer in TN either... I'm in memphis I found an okay selection at a Kroger (Samuel Smith, Pilsner Urquell, Spaten, Hobgoblin, Flying Dog, Young's), but it varies widely store to store... and Rogue Dead Guy at Schnuck's, other than those i'd have to go to Buster's Wine and Liquor Store... I think they can't sell anything over about 5.5-6.0% ABV at the store without it being considered malt liquor....

 

[gator]

Ok..
So now I am a subscriber to "Draft" and "Beer Advocate" magazines..

I have enjoyed reading them, especially the beer reviews in the back.

[begin rant]
the latest version of beer advocate had ZERO beers in the back that I can get here in Mississippi because our stinking state is in the middle of the bible belt and can't sell beer containing more than 5% alcohol!!!

The owner of a gas station that has one of the better selections in town was telling me about how he was planning on buying 100 cases of celebration ale. i was pumped.. turns out he couldn't get it because of our stinkin law.

[/end rant]

thanks for listening..
sincerely,
bummed out in Mississippi

i live in jackson (well, brandon) and while feeling your pain, i do have some suggestions.

mellow mushroom on lakeland has a decent beer selection -- rogue DG, shiner, sierra nev PA, and miss's only brewery magnolia.....all on tap

any kroger or brookshires in and around town has a "micro" brew section which generally is decent.

also, a little grocery store right off I55 called "McDades" carries some micro's.

i say all this bummed about the selection you can get around here, BUT, it gets you through.

gator

 

[waskelton4]

also, a little grocery store right off I55 called "McDades" carries some micro's.

Thanks gator..
I actually live right around the corner from McDades.. They do have the best selection in town but i've had it all I went to Mellow Musroom once with the wife and she didn't like it much so we haven't been back. While we were there I did see the large wall of taps but it was sunday and we couldn't get served there in rankin county..

I brewed a Mild last night that is fermenting today and hopefully will be ready for consumption soon. I've got to get some tasty brew in me!

gator.. have you heard anything about the Jackson area homebrew club mentioned earlier in this thread? or the meeting about working to get the laws changed?

thanks for the post!

ws

 

[gator]

I actually had no clue....and, i'm interested in it.

need help anyhow, my first batch ended up on my ceilin

here's the link to the new pizza place that is showing potential as well:

http://www.salandmookies.com/smbar.pdf

scroll down to the bottom of the page for the brew.

ain't much but it's better than nothing....

gator, who ain't letting one little explosion beat him

 

[waskelton4]

I actually had no clue....and, i'm interested in it.
need help anyhow, my first batch ended up on my ceilin
here's the link to the new pizza place that is showing potential as well:
http://www.salandmookies.com/smbar.pdf

Congrats on the beer fountain! It means you are doing at least something right

I see a blowoff tube in your future.

I have actually eaten at sal and mookies three times already..
the beer selection is probably the best in the area although they were out of the first beer I asked for (flying dog scottish porter) the sam smith's are kinda steep too at $7.50 a bottle. yikes.

the food is pretty good too.

If you hear anymore about the homebrew club or this meeting let me know.. and I"ll do the same.

cheers!
ws

 

[gator]

preciate ya!

nice knowing there's actually a beer snob or 2 runnin around this dump

gator

 

[Brewer3401]

I'm in the New Orleans area (suburb 32 miles away, thank you God). Think our limit on alcohol is 106 % (212 proof).

Lot of the locals look like they take advantage of it.

Some bars never close, can buy Everclear at the convenience store.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea at all.

 

[jpsloan]

I'm in the New Orleans area (suburb 32 miles away, thank you God). Think our limit on alcohol is 106 % (212 proof).

Lot of the locals look like they take advantage of it.

Some bars never close, can buy Everclear at the convenience store.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea at all.

You just made me very homesick for Metairie.

 

[Brewer3401]

I lived in Metairie for 24 years. Was great in the late 70's, then slowly went to crap.
Fat City is a ****-heap magnet. Nothing but low life types.
I do love Zea's though. Miss Patrick (brewmaster), but hear he and his fiance'/wife are in Chicago and doing well.
I still have some of the Crawfish Head barley wine we did @ Zea's in (I think 2003). Gets better every year.