OT: A few links for those interested in MS beer laws

[MaverickAG]

I guess they aren't as against a rise in ABW as some assumed<div>I think this is simply a case of a gradual change in strategy. AB-Inbev has been gobbling up craft breweries in recent years and they currently offer a number of products that appear to be craft products. Additionally, they probably realize this is the first year that the bills have an actual legitimate chance.
<div>
</div><div>Talk from MS's first, and currently only, production brewery</div><div>
</div><div>Bill status</div> </div>

 

[RobbieRandolph]

We measure our booze like Utah, not like Tennessee, Louisiana, or Alabama.

 

[FlabLoser]

Does that mean Chimay makes it! Diggity dank.

I saw the inbev CEO interviewed on this a couple year ago. He said AB was late to the craft game but that they planned to participate. Cool. I don't care about AB. However the door gets opened here...as long as it gets opened.

Still think its great that AB has gotten beyond thing yellow fizzy beers. Nice to have them putting out some variety that I can partake of when I'm in some AB-captive place.

Says here that AB didn't give a single penny to Dean Kirby in 2011. http://kingfish1935.blogs...d-craft-beer-effort.html I like that very much. Their PAC isn't stupid. They knew he was on the way out I suppose.

 

[MaverickAG]

They could choose to fight the rise in craft in a couple of ways. The first would be what they've done historically and that is to buy up some of the competition and then put the screws to the rest. This is obviously only going to be aimed at national and some large regional craft brewers since it doesn't make financial sense to go after the local guys as they are more boutique-type businesses. They have done this to some extent by purchasing Goose Island and a 32% stake in CBA-owned Redhook, Kona, and Widmer Bros.<div>
</div><div>The other is to 1) push their own products for the craft-light drinkers and 2) make money off of other craft brewers through their vast distribution network. It really is win-win for them. Craft brewers aren't targeting yellow, fizzy drinkers so their only competition there is SABMiller, which will likely end up merging with ABInbev soon enough anyway, and macro-like imports such asHeineken.</div>

 

[fishwater99]

I think if it makes it to a vote, it will pass. Got to make it out of the committee.. How's that looking so far?

 

[MaverickAG]

but I would imagine this is the best chance since the bills were first introduced 5 years ago. Kirby is gone as W&M chairman and was the main roadblock in all of this. The new chairs for the Senate Finance and House W&M committees are Jeffrey Smith (R)and Joey Fillingane (R). I haven't contacted either to get their stance but those behind the bills are fairly confident. <div>
</div><div>Another piece of legislation that will be interesting to watch is the bill that was crafted for Lazy Magnolia that would allow them to offer a tasting room on-site. If I were opening a brewery, my main concern after the ABW/ABV limit would be the legality of on-site sales/consumption. The ability to offer a tap room is perhaps the biggest marketing tool a small brewery can have.</div>