As of this morning, the hops are free, and the 6% ABV limit on beer sold in the state of Alabama has been lifted! Governor Bob Riley signed the bill this morning, as he indicated he would, if it managed to get to him. It was passed in the House last year, but was tabled in the Senate.
The Senate finally passed it earlier this month, and woot! Good beer for Alabamians!
This is also a nice little story about grassroots campaigns. A group called Free the Hops formed in 2004 to try to erase some of the more medieval blue laws still on the books in Alabama. After five years of hard fighting, the Alabama Gourmet Beer Bill (HB373) is now law!
I look forward to my first Bama-bought Trappist ale!
Heh–we had a similar campaign in North Carolina a few years ago, called Pop the Cap. It succeeded, and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to discover that I loathe most high-alcohol beers.
How long ago? I never knew about that law, but then I rarely drank anything more “exotic” than Rock Bottom’s house microbrews or a Bass Pale Ale until I moved west in 2003. I’m actually not much on beer over 6% either but it’s nice to know I can have one here when I want. One of the most popular local beers here is a Scottish ale called Kiltlifter and it’s 6-point-something IIRC, and of course every once in awhile I get in the mood for an IPA, which are almost always over 6 to my knowledge.
When I went to Brickskeller and asked them for their strongest beer they gave me something called “The Beast”, it was around 40 proof and tasted like bottled ass, but 3 bottles had me plastered.