Good points by both parties on this issue. The Gazz needs a lively debate, and who knows, maybe this will get one started.

If I may, allow me to make a suggestion: When the two of you get together to hoist that pint, rather than each continuing in your attempt to dissuade the other, you could get your heads together, get on the same page, and toss around some (hopefully) fresh ideas to go about bringing West Virginia’s beer laws up to snuff with it’s wine laws. We can all benefit here, so lets (everyone!)get to work.

Rich–I read your comments a while back about one legislator agreeing that our state’s beer laws are antiquated, but not wanting his name associated with any bill to update them. I understand that this is the heart of the Bible Belt, but if other southern states can, and have, updated their laws, we should be able to get similar laws passed in our own beloved state.

I’m not sure what can be done, other than a flood of letters to our state legislators, but it has to start somewhere. West Virginia has a
lot beer drinkers. Anyone who doubts this can verify it by simply spending a little time observing shoppers in most any grocery or convenience store.

I realize I’m preaching to the choir, but it seems to me that the problem lies with the brands of beer most of them are buying. Sure, craft beers cost more than the brews from the big boys. However, as with most things, one gets what one pays for.

I’m not sure how often postings from TheGazz are actually printed by Charleston Newspapers, but I’v only seen a few, and I have no idea how many folks actually read these blogs. It’s possible that a few more articles in print would not only help to educate the masses, but also bring this issue to the those who drink “fizzy, tasteless, yellow beer” and spur more of them into action writing letters.

I know it’s easy to use the internet to find email and snail mail addresses of legislators, etc. and I’m sure there are quite a few folks out there who probably have great intentions, but are a little on the laid-back side when it comes to getting around to doing these things, much less actually writing those letters. How about posting a list of legislators names and email addresses (with one asterisk beside those known to be secretly on our side, and two for those known to be on the fence) to take some of the work out of getting those letters written.

In the meantime, if there is anything I, or anyone else, can do as an individual, put the word out and let’s see what happens. Thanks, and keep those great articles coming!

Erin Fitzharris
Great Lakes Brewing Company
2615 Market Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113