The premise of Smoky and the Bandit - unpasteurized lager

[TechFanMD]

The premise of this movie is that Coors beer was not sold east of the Mississippi River because it was canned with no pasteurization or preservatives. The excuse it that is had to be kept chilled and consumed quickly - thus only distributed more locally to Colorado.

Do we not have unpasteurized lagers now that are shelf stable for a reasonable period without refrigeration? What am I missing?

 

[gunhaus]

It was a MOVIE, not a documentary?

 

[grampamark]

Coors wasn’t pasteurized, but that wasn’t the issue. The company had decided that the 11 western states in which the brand was distributed was enough, and had very restrictive distribution agreements which prevented their distributors from selling product outside of that area.

The Federal Trade Commission ruled, in the early 70s, that Coors was guilty of restraint of trade. That decision was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1975, and the company began expanding its range of distribution shortly after that, with nationwide distribution reached in the mid 80s.

Old newspaper article about Coors here.

 

[TechFanMD]

Coors wasn’t pasteurized, but that wasn’t the issue. The company had decided that the 11 western states in which the brand was distributed was enough, and had very restrictive distribution agreements which prevented their distributors from selling product outside of that area.

The Federal Trade Commission ruled, in the early 70s, that Coors was guilty of restraint of trade. That decision was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1975, and the company began expanding its range of distribution shortly after that, with nationwide distribution reached in the mid 80s.

Old newspaper article about Coors here.

Thanks! Every article I found had to do with shelf stablity - I knew there had to be more to the story.