excellent history of Alabama alcohol legislation by Harvey Jackson

Posted on October 28th, 2008 by John Little

This is an excellent partial history of Alabama alcohol legislation by Harvey Jackson for the Anniston Star. The map of wet and dry jurisdictions in Alabama is from the Alabama ABC Board website.
Liquor laws and loopholes: A brief history of how Alabama regulates alcohol
By Harvey H. Jackson
Star columnist and editorial writer
10-26-2008
On Nov. 4, residents [...]

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Filed under: Legal Issues

stills seized in Alabama (part 1)

Posted on October 13th, 2008 by John Little

Here’s a handful of Alabama still seizure pics I received from the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board…. A few from recent times and a couple from the 60s. In Alabama, we have a need to distinguish illegal distillation from typical homebrewing of beer, mead, cider and wine. I’m going to try to [...]

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Filed under: Distillation, Legal Issues

2008 Alabama Legislative Wrap-Up

Posted on September 29th, 2008 by John Little

I just read the September issue of the Alabama Lawyer and found this very short summary of the 2008 Alabama Legislative Session informative:
There were 1,606 bills introduced in the legislature. Four hundred ninety-five passed one of the houses but only 205 made their way into law. From the total of 205 bills, after subtracting [...]

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Filed under: Legal Issues

Alcohol related bills vetoed by Alabama Governor Riley

Posted on September 4th, 2008 by John Little

I’ve researched and collected alcohol related bills that have reached Governor Riley’s desk since he took office in late 2002. I’m using this post to list the bills he has vetoed. I’ll post them as comments as I sort them out (that is if the comments can hold that much text.. I haven’t [...]

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Filed under: Legal Issues

another one bites the dust

Posted on July 12th, 2008 by John Little

The Birmingham Terminal is reporting that New Vulcan Ale House, which would have been a 4th brewpub in Alabama, will not be getting off the ground after all.
I can’t say I’m surprised. The cards are stacked against breweries in Alabama, particularly brewpubs, which have stringent and expensive legal requirements that really ought to be [...]

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Filed under: Commercial Beer, Legal Issues

Brewing History in Montgomery, Alabama

Posted on April 16th, 2008 by John Little

Came across this information here.
Alabama Breweries History: Montgomery Alabama
Brewpubs have been around a long time. In the late 1800s, there were over 4,000 breweries–every town had at least one. George Washington, John Adams, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson had financial interests in microbreweries: William Penn founded Philadelphia’s first brewpub in 1685. The first recorded [...]

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Filed under: Brewing History, Legal Issues

FTH meeting

Posted on March 30th, 2008 by John Little

Some pics from yesterday’s Free the Hops meeting to discuss Alabama craft brewing legal issues.

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Ron Paul and Obama win Nevada Beer Caucus

Posted on January 25th, 2008 by John Little

Obama, Paul win N. Nevada beer caucus
Posted: 1/19/2008
While many Northern Nevadans argued for their candidate of choice or filled out an official ballot, others cracked a cold one and participated in another type of preference polling: beer caucusing.
At Great Basin Brewery Brewing Co. in Sparks, the rules for caucusing were pretty simple: One ballot for [...]

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Filed under: Competitions, In the News, Legal Issues

Thomas v Birmingham Budweiser

Posted on January 24th, 2008 by John Little

At the request of a friend, I dug up these documents and am posting them here so I can link to them easily.
Thomas v Birmingham Budweiser complaint
Thomas v Birmingham Budweiser motion
Thomas v Birmingham Budweiser order

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Filed under: Legal Issues

2008 Alabama Homebrewing Bill

Posted on January 10th, 2008 by John Little

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT
To provide an exception for the production of beer, mead, cider and wine for personal or family use; to permit persons not prohibited from purchasing, consuming, possessing, or transporting alcoholic beverages under Section 28-1-5, Code of Alabama 1975, to produce beer, mead, cider and wine for personal or family [...]

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Filed under: Legal Issues

December 5th is Repeal Day

Posted on December 5th, 2007 by John Little

December 5th is Repeal Day.
The 21st Amendment
Ratified December 5, 1933
Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use there in of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws [...]

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Filed under: Legal Issues

Jimmy Carter did NOT Legalize Homebrewing

Posted on July 8th, 2007 by John Little

Many homebrewing related articles and books mistakenly claim that, President Jimmy Carter legalized homebrewing in 1978. In fact, the U.S. Congress passed an Act in 1978 exempting a certain amount of beer brewed for personal or family use from federal taxation. President Carter signed the Act, which addressed other issues as well, in 1979. States [...]

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Filed under: Books and Magazines, Legal Issues