Meeting with Pat Lynch
Lee, David, and I had a productive meeting yesterday with Pat Lynch, Michael Schilleci, and Harry Kampakis, representing Birmingham Budweiser, Supreme Beverage, and Birmingham Beverage, respectively. It would not be appropriate for me to publicly divulge many of the details discussed at the meeting, but I will say what I can.
Most importantly, Birmingham Budweiser is not staunchly opposed to our entire campaign. They have some legitimate business concerns, but Pat has agreed to do some further research on the impact these changes will have on his business, and FTH has agreed to do some further research as well. Ultimately, our position is that 46 other states do not have the 6% limit and NO other state has the 16 ounce limit, and all the beer wholesalers (including the A-B guys) are doing fine in those states. We see no legitimate reason why Alabama cannot join their ranks, and we're confident all the wholesalers will continue to do well once we have. But we'll do our best to find a solution that benefits everyone involved.
The biggest piece of news to announce in the wake of that meeting is that Pat has agreed to put us on the agenda for the December 7th meeting of the Alabama Beer Wholesalers. We will be allowed to present our case for how Free The Hops can benefit all the state's wholesalers, after which they will each cast their vote on whether to support or oppose our campaign.
I'm optimistic that we can make a very persuasive argument, especially in light of some developments that will be made official prior to that December meeting. More to come...
About That "Beerlicious" Comment
That's been the hot topic of discussion ever since people started seeing promos for the bit on Sunday and Monday. There were extenuating circumstances. I don't normally talk like that. The second it escaped my mouth, i knew it would end up on air making me look dorky, but it was funny nonetheless, so i stand by it. I wanted to have fun and wanted people to laugh at the segment.
To be in a segment on The Daily Show, you go through a long, sometimes disjointed interview. Bakkedahl covered how i got interested in good beer, how FTH started, the campaigns in other states, recited a story from a Ray Stevens song, asked me what are some problems facing Alabama (to which i gave several serious answers, in addition to the comment about not being able to buy good beer), talked about the governor, state slogans, and much more. He asked me if drinking beer was a right, or a vice. I told him it was a right, and he asked me to give a definition for "vice." I told him a vice was something that is bad for you that you enjoy doing. Beer is good for you in moderation. He frequently gave me some ridiculous look or made some outrageous comment that sent me into a fit of laughter, which i'd have to recover from before continuing. It put me in a "funny" mood.
Regarding the slogans, he asked me what the state slogan of Alabama is. I told him "Alabama the Beautiful." He asked me if i had to change the state's slogan, what would i change it to? I couldn't think of anything. He said, "What about Alabama the Beertiful?" I laughed and said "Yeah, Alabama the Beertiful." He repeated it a few times. Got it on the brain.
Then he asked me to go through the experience of drinking a Russian Imperial Stout, since that's one of my favorite beers. I got to the end, and it just came out: Beerlicious. It fit in with the rest of the experience, most of which no one will ever see. I meant for it to be funny. Obviously the producer thought it was...
So as i said, i stand by it. I really think it's going to catch on. It will eventually end up in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Oktoberfest
Thanks to everyone at the Birmingham Oktoberfest. Just got back and we had a really good time.
They had a nice selection of good German beer. Paulaner and Spaten Oktoberfests. Blue Moon Pumpkin (not German of course). Warsteiner Dunkel. And others.
Great food, too. Bratwurst, knackwurst, saurkraut, potato salad, and a host of other tasty edibles. Plus accordian music and traditional German dancing.
They do it every year in October. If you've never been, I reccommend you check it out. They kindly let us distribute flyers at the tables and get up to make an announcement about our campaign. What better place to plug a beer campaign than at a bonified German Oktoberfest?
The Daily Show filming went well earlier this week and the segment is tentatively scheduled to air on the 17th of this month. I'll let you know if that changes. And for the record, regardless of Bakkedahl's innuendo, I'm really not gay...
posted by Danner at 8:14 PM permanent link 1 comments
Congratulations, Jamie Ray
Free The Hops extends a hearty congratulations to Jamie Ray, head brewer of both the Olde Auburn Ale House and Montgomery Brewing Co., for taking home a bronze metal in the rye beer category at the Great American Beer Festival. As someone whose studies focused on English and American literature in college, I especially appreciate the name of his beer, Catch Her In the Rye. Good job.
I hope this bodes well for
The entire list of winners at the Great American Beer Festival can be seen here:
http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read.php?thread=566627
Now I’m eager to taste the winner of the silver in European style Pilseners, Most Beer Judges Are Bone Heads, brewed by SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO.