Thursday, February 14, 2008

Bills and boycott update

Supporters of Free the Hops,

The Alabama Wholesale Beer Association (AWBA) and Anheuser Busch Corporate have stepped in to the fray and have helped negotiate a deal to pass our bill. I have been speaking with the AWBA and the other parties involved and am 100% sure of their commitment.

Once the final wording on our agreement is finalised, we will be proceeding on the basis of a bill increasing the allowable ABV in beer from 6% to 13.9%.

We negotiated this agreement on the basis that the AWBA expressed legitimate concerns about the 14.9% limit, and as the 13.9% ABV limit is one which includes 99 of the top 100 beers we considered this a reasonable compromise.

This compromise ensures the full support of the AWBA and AB Corporate which will be a huge boost to our legislative efforts this year.

I am very excited by this news, and see this as a great outcome for Free the Hops and for the people of Alabama!

As for the boycott, our deal with the AWBA included a commitment on our part to stop actively promoting the boycott and to not take any steps to escalate it further. So we will not be seeking any new businesses to participate. The venues that had already joined the boycott will proceed on the basis of what is best for their business, and we will not be seeking any more venues to join us.

Thank you to every single person who has been involved in spreading the word on the boycott - the intervention by the AWBA and AB Corporate would not have happened without you. I am proud of each and every one of you - thanks :)

Stuart Carter
President
Free the Hops | Alabamians for Specialty Beer

posted by Stuart Carter at 11:07 AM permanent link

4 Comments:

Anonymous said...: Congratulations!! Jealousy ensues.

Kevin Smith
Brandon, MS; February 14, 2008 1:45 PM
Unknown said...: I am curious about the "legitimate concern" of a 14.9% ABV limit opposed to a 13.9% ABV limit. Are you at liberty to share that concern with us?

Either way, this support is no doubt a great boost to our cause. Thank you for your diligent work in this regard.; February 15, 2008 9:42 AM
Anonymous said...: tax issue. Alabama has the highest beer tax in the continental US taxed on 12 oz increments.14.9 would put you in the park with wine, which is even higher.

a typical purchase of beer includes 45%in taxes. take the taxes out and your beer is cheaper than a Pepsi.; February 15, 2008 12:41 PM
Anonymous said...: This is very exciting! Although I love to travel it will be nice not have to drive 3 states away just to get good beer! Guess it will be safer too!!!!; February 18, 2008 12:19 PM