When I started Free The Hops back in the fall of 2004, there were 5 states that prohibited all sale of beers over 6% ABV: Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. And only a few months before, there had been 6, as Georgia had just recently raised their 6% limit.
Then in 2005 North Carolina’s Pop The Cap succeeded in their efforts, bringing that number down to 4.
Then in 2007 South Carolina’s legislature passed a bill raising their 6% limit. Only 3 left.
And now, this past Friday, West Virginia’s Senate passed a bill raising that state’s 6% limit.
Folks, we are down to only 2 states that completely ban all beer over 6%. Alabama and Mississippi. Sometimes there is confusion over states like Oklahoma and Utah, where beer over 3.2% can only be sold in liquor stores. While that’s a really horrible law, too, at least there isn’t a total ban on beer over 6% there as we have here.
As you can see, Alabama and Mississippi are in a desperate race to finish last. Raise Your Pints is now fighting to keep Mississippi out of last place. And of course we in Free The Hops have been working tirelessly for years to change things for the better here. Little did we know when we started this fight almost five years ago that our biggest obstacle wouldn’t be neo-prohibitionists or even mega-breweries desperately clinging to an extra point of market share–it has been a dysfunctional Alabama Senate that simply won’t pass bills. Having a legislature that passes bills is a big advantage the Carolinas and West Virginia had over us.
Our Senate convenes again today at 1pm. Will they get anything done?
4 Comments
Why is it so hard for the legislature to do the job they are paid to do?
Danner… I really appreciate your continued blog. Though I live in Florida now (and am surrounded by a beer variety that blows this ‘Bama boy away), I keep up with FTH and hope to god they Senate will finally put this thing to rest. Free the Hops!
I am from Mississippi now living in Alabama. I have also lived in Virginia, West Virginia, Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Florida.
I love my beer but I love the State of Mississippi more. As a born and bred Mississippian, I have long learned to deal with us being last in so many things that I, as many others have, eventually flipped a brain switch and am now extraordinarily PROUD of our last place standing in so many different categories. In fact, Mississippi is FIRST in last place finishes. FIRST!! WINNERS!!
Similar to the Monica Award on the TV show Friends which she received for giving the best worst massage ever, we Mississippians can be proud of being the BEST worst place finisher.
So PLEASE. Do not press for passage of any sensible laws in Mississippi until Alabama passes one first! As a current Alabama resident (I love Alabama too. It is almost as good as being from Mississippi), I will be glad to help lobby for change. Just give me some ideas of what needs to be done and I will devote serious time to the cause.
I am only semi-kidding. Please. Lets get Alabama done first. The last place graduate of West Point is still a graduate of West Point and the last state to repeal 3.2 beer will still have stronger beer…AND a place of honor! Lets save that honor for Mississippi!!!
clay davidson
Mississippian
Hahaha as sad as it all is, I hope Danner & everybody can pause to appreciate the comedic irony of what happened after he wrote “Our Senate convenes again today at 1pm. Will they get anything done?”. You asked, Poole answered.