Tag Archives: Free the Hops

Gourmet Bottle Bill goes before AL State Senate Tuesday

Posted on February 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

Free the Hops logoFree The Hops (FTH) shared earlier in the day Monday that SB294 – the legislation supported by the organization that would change the 16 fluid oz. limit on beer sold in Alabama to 25.4 fluid oz. – might be placed on the special order calendar for the Alabama State Senate on Tuesday, February 21.

A tweet was sent out earlier this evening by FTH stating they’d confirmed it would be up for a vote.

The 25.4 number was chosen by FTH because “it would allow for 22 oz. and 750 mL bottle sizes – the two most common bottle sizes for high-end specialty beers” to be sold in the state.

The “Gourmet Bottle Bill” has also been submitted to the Alabama State House of Representatives as HB264.

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Alabama craft brewers talk about Brewery Modernization

Posted on June 8, 2011 | 3 comments

We’re still waiting to see if Governor Bentley will be signing the Beer Modernization Act passed last week in Montgomery before the end of the legislative session on Thursday. One group tremendously interested in his decision are those currently operating  craft breweries in the state – and we got a chance to talk to a few of them at Magic City Brewfest last weekend.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QE27WEsUZE?hd=1&w=640]

Free the Hops is continuing to ask people to contact the Governor’s office to voice their wanting him to sign it into law. We’ll let you know what happens.

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Brewery Modernization Act passes Alabama State House

Posted on May 31, 2011 | Leave a comment

Free The Hops tulip glassBoth of Birmingham, AL’s microbreweries hope to soon enjoy the opportunity to serve their beer on their premises. The Brewery Modernization Act, supported by Free the Hops, passed the Alabama State House of Representatives earlier this evening in Montgomery.

If the State Senate concurs with the substitution made to the bill this evening during their session tomorrow, it will go to Governor Bentley’s desk in Montgomery for his signature.

It had been endorsed by the Alabama Brewers Guild, but also the Alabama Restaurants Association and the Alabama Hospitality Association.

The bill would allow for existing breweries to add tap rooms. It would also make it easier for brewpubs to open in the state, providing opportunities for additional jobs. As reported earlier this month in The Birmingham News, concessions were made to allow for passage that doesn’t necessarily sit well with all parties.

Both of the existing breweries in metro Birmingham, Good People Brewing Co. and Avondale Brewing Co., have the capabilities to be modified to allow for serving beer on their premises.

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UPDATE: Free The Hops calls for statewide boycott of Anheuser-Busch, distributors

Posted on April 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

UPDATE: FTH has posted the list of beers affected by the distributor boycott on their website.

Free The Hops tulip glassLeaders for Free The Hops | Alabamians For Specialty Beer (FTH) announced their to call for a consumer boycott of Anheuser-Busch products and their distributors statewide this morning. This is first time that they’ve made such a request since January 2008 when they called specifically called for a boycott of products distributed by Birmingham Budweiser.

According to a post on the non-profit organization’s website, the vote by the board was unanimous, with one member choosing to recuse themselves due to a conflict of interest.

While the Free the Hops Bill (HB 373) passed in May 2009 (raising the level of alcohol allowed by volume in beer available statewide), there are two bills currently attempting to make their way through the state legislature – the Brewery Modernization Act and the Gourmet Bottle Bill; both measures were recently held over in Montgomery.

FTH’s official press release contends that Anheuser-Busch has been working against legislation currently under consideration in the State legislature. We have sent an email to Birmingham Budweiser requesting comment and will share that statement as soon as possible.

FTH also they would take the initial step of banning all beers distributed by Anheuser Busch distributors in Alabama from not only this year’s Rocket City Brewfest in May but Birmingham’s Magic City Brewfest in early June.

Three years ago, then FTH president Stuart Carter shared this piece with us about why bills then before the State legislature needed to pass.

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The Hops are free! It’s time to celebrate!

Posted on May 22, 2009 | Leave a comment

Free the Hops glass - courtesy of freethehops.orgThis morning Governor Riley signed the “Free the Hops” bill into law, news that seemed to make most of the folks here in Birmingham and the rest of the state of Alabama quite happy as Memorial Day weekend begins.

Here in the Magic City, it’s been announced that there will be a celebration this evening at The J. Clyde beginning at 5 p.m. that will feature a cask ale courtesy of Good People Brewing Company. It also means that all drinks and appeitzers will be $4.

Photo: Courtesy of freethehops.org.

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Free the Hops bill passed by Alabama State Senate

Posted on May 14, 2009 | 2 comments

Visitors trying to Google “Free the Hops” and trying to access their website are currently meeting a 504 error.  We’re thinking it’s because of the traffic being generated by fans of specialty & gourmet beers throughout the state celebrating the passage of HB 373 earlier this afternoon. This afternoon at 2:56 p.m., Free the Hops shared via Twitter words that its supporters have been waiting to hear since it was founded in 2004…

“FREE THE HOPS PASSED! WE DID IT”

The bill was passed while Senator Hank Erwin was outside of the Senate chamber in Montgomery. The bill currently awaits the signature of Governor Riley. The organization’s making a plea on their blog with additional information about the next step in the process.

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Free the Hops bill before State Senate tomorrow

Posted on March 11, 2009 | 14 comments

UPDATE: 5.14.2009 – This afternoon, the Alabama State Senate passed HB 373 – The Free the Hops bill. Click here for more info.

The folks at Free the Hops just sent a Tweet out a little while ago that will have many in Birmingham and Alabama sitting on the edge of their seats tomorrow. Alabama State Senate Bill No. 132 will be on the calendar for a vote tomorrow. A similar bill, which would raise the alcohol limit to 13.9% passed the Alabama House of Representatives late last week.

The fact that the vote is coming up tomorrow allows us to tout a rather cool feature on the Free the Hops website that allows you to find out who your elected officials are in Montgomery. We’ll keep an eye on their Twitter account tomorrow to see what happens…

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