I actually hesitated — and still have some reservations — about writing a blogpost announcing this year’s re-introduction of HB2934 in the state Legislature. The bill’s sponsors seek to add the definition of “Craft Beer” to the list of lawful beverages that can be sold in the state. The definition of “Craft Beer” according to the bill is a malted beverage with an alcohol content of at least 6% and not greater than 15% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Why do I harbor such reservations? It’s because I am hearing a whole lot of “back-room” talk from several people in the beer distribution biz who say the law is going to change, maybe even this year. This is because the wholesalers are embracing the change (instead of opposing it as in past years). Apparently, they have come to their senses and now realize that selling better tasting, higher priced and higher profit margin beer is good for business. (Momma didn’t raise no dummies!) Drinkers of good beer please stand and take bow; for this is your doing. It just took awhile for the wholesalers to catch on…

My fear is that I will awaken some other sleeping opposition; maybe a neo-temperance group, like MADD or even some church-led opposition. After all, beer is for heathens and Jesus drank wine (or grape juice), right? (Actually, there are some scholars who question the Greek translation of the Aramaic text, believing that a grain-based beverage was actually more likely what was in the “saving cup”, but that’s for another Blog entry on WWJD — What Would Jesus Drink?)

If the bill passes this year, it will prove for whom the Legislature really works. Surely, it’s not consumers (and taxpayers) whose freedom of choice has been severely limited so as to protect the WV beer cartels. We are just lucky that we now apparently happen to be on the same side of this issue. So much for the bull about West Virginia being “Open for Business.” Hey! Maybe this craft beer thing will help out future Promise scholarship grads. They can at least resort to stocking coolers with craft beer to pay down their debt to society since there are no other jobs for college graduates in this economic “black hole”. (Wow! That was a Freudian double entendre…)

So let’s keep this bill thing our little secret and maye it will just “slither” through the legislature unnoticed (stealth should be easy that way)…

If you would like the full story and a link to contact your state delegate or senator, click this. (It only works if you are a supporter!)

This entry was posted on Monday, January 21st, 2008 at 11:11 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.