Tag Archives: Free the Hops

Why Free the Hops?

Beer closeup - Bob Farley/f8photoThat’s a great question — that’s why we invited Free the Hops president Stuart Carter to be our guest blogger over on my Birmingham today to share the case for support of HB 196 and SB 116 & 355. The state house bill comes up for discussion tomorrow in Montgomery and could greatly affect not just Birmingham but the entire state.

Head on over, check out the post, share your comments and pass it on to others that you think may be interested!

An update on the Birmingham Bud Boycott

It seems that some area bars, most notably The J. Clyde, have decided that they’re more than willing to participate in what’s being called the Birmingham Bud Boycott. It also appears that your notes, letters and phone calls to Anheuser-Busch has had an effect. The following is a message from Free The Hops president Stuart Carter sent out the following note late yesterday to FTH members and supporters:

Our lobbyist is still in hot communication with AB corporate, and has asked if you would mind holding off phone calls to AB Corporate until after close of business tomorrow, Tuesday 29 January, to allow him to finish the conversation.

Thank you all for your patience, and I promise you that once I know more, you will know too!

Free the Hops boycotting Birmingham Budweiser

Of the world’s Top 100 beers, only two are available here. Alabama has some of the most restrictive liquor laws in the nation still on the books years after Prohibition. Free the Hops (FTH) is a grassroots, citizen-driven organization trying to change that. For the second legislative session, the group will try to get state lawmakers to literally free the hops by increasing the limit on alcohol content allowed in beer. But first they have to battle with Birmingham Budweiser.

Free the Hops logoFTH has asked its members and supporters to join a formal boycott of Birmingham Budweiser products. In an e-mail sent late Tuesday night, new FTH president Stuart Carter says the leadership at the local beer distributor is “still working against the interests of both Anheuser Busch (who, in addition to Bud, brews dozens of beers that are currently illegal under Alabama law) and Alabama consumers. They have indicated that they will again work to prevent our bill, freeing the hops, from passing in the Alabama state legislature.”

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