Friday, November 2, 2012
Session 69
Ever feel like there are many things in this world that are backwards, upside down, wrong… that just don’t make sense?
Like local craft beer not being considered ‘domestic’ in the menu of many restaurants in the US…
Or like having a beer that doesn’t taste very good have the largest market share…
… among other things…
… but, hey. This. World. Is. Not. Perfect!
what is something you would like to see change… something that will take us closer to the Perfect Beer World?
The topic is wide open… even if you think that what you want to change for the better is not important or ridiculous… share it!
The perfect beer world is a wide concept. It means something different to every imbiber. Not to mention the idea of perfection is elusive. It is something you can never really attain. Personally, I like to think in terms of attainable goals. Sometimes you need to stretch to reach them but in the end it is their pursuit that leads us to a better place.
Because of how Prohibition ended the US has very different laws throughout every state, sometimes county to county even. One thing I would love to see happen is new liquor laws that make sense, universally enacted throughout the country.
Some of these laws would include:
1. Home brewing legalized in all 50 states. This would mean no more raids on businesses confiscating their sellable goods.
2. Set guidelines for the TTB for label approval. If the label is approved in one state it would be usable in all states.
3. The Three tier system of distrubution does have a purpose. But this system works against the smaller breweries, wineries, and distilleries, making it harder for them to find their way to market. Perhaps a self distribution clause in home markets for businesses under a certain size.
The hardest part with just these simple ideas, getting the governments of all 50 states to agree on the rules. We have been free of Prohibition now for roughly 80 years and the laws in each individual state can be as different as night and day. Maybe one day...
Time for a pint...
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I'm upset I didn't think of legalizing homebrew across the board. It's a silly, antiquated law clung onto by uneducated, wrinkly, old men. I was a bit stupefied after the raid in Alabama.
ReplyDeleteYou're right - in a Perfect Beer World we should all be able to pursue life, liberty and happiness from brewing beer!
Sadly there are a few laws floating around in many states that are way out of date and need to be either removed or at least reworked so they are more up to date.
DeleteReally interesting ideas. It must be very annoying for someone who brew's their own beer to look at large beer companies that make the most money with some really crappy tasting beer. I don't understand why its not legal in all 50 states for people to brew their own beer, doesn't make much sense to me.
ReplyDeleteProbably the only national law for alcohol in the US is the 21 drinking age. It all falls into how Prohibition was repealed. With the vote falling on individual states, the states gained control of how booze is handled within their state. Also being able to brew at home is only a fairly recent occurance. President Carter made it legal in 1978 (but then not every state has caught on to this yet).
DeleteHi Jon, I agree with a number of points. The labeling for one, is an area the needs to be universal. The reason I think this are way to numerous to mention. I agree, the distribution system at large makes it much more difficult for the smaller wineries and brewers to gain a foothold.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part is it is so lopsided. At one point Dirty Bastard from Founders was blocked because of the name. While at the same time Fat Bastard wine was allowed to roam free. This was in Alabama (who also cracked down on stores for having home brewing equipment for sale).
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