Eminent Domain abuse in NYC threatens award-winning neighborhood saloon:

More here and here.

Another gentle reminder to keep calling and emailing your state representatives and senators urging them to support the Alabama Brewery Modernization Act (Free the Hops’ legislative effort for this session) and the Homebrew Legalization Act (not an FTH effort, but of course they wholeheartedly support it.) As always, keep informed and active by visiting the FTH blog and join FTH if you haven’t yet.

FTH founder Danner Kline reviews Sam Adams’ Noble Pils and Schneider and Sohn’s Aventinus.

Danner also Buzzed the following three stories:

Anti-alcohol ads drive folks to drink.

Dr. Seuss did ad illustrations for Narragansatt Brewing Co. and has a rich family history of brewing.

Booze that won’t give you a hangover.

Xaq pointed me to this post by Eric Crampton. Evidently, a study of beer yeast (for the purpose of ruining Germany’s beer industry by developing a superior brew!) is what led Louis Pasteur to discover the germ theory of disease.

Oyster stout? Yes, please.

California ABC sez to bar owners: “I do what I want!”

Cheeky, a new restaurant opening just outside of Atlanta on Monday, will feature PYOB. Yup, Pour Your Own Beer.

I promise that I have lots of non-links posts waiting in the wings. I’ve just been too busy to put on the finishing touches. Til then, enjoy!

First things first: Remember to keep calling and emailing your state representatives and senators urging them to support the Alabama Brewery Modernization Act (Free the Hops’ legislative effort for this session) and the Homebrew Legalization Act (not an FTH effort, but of course they wholeheartedly support it.) As always, keep informed and active by visiting the FTH blog and join up if you haven’t yet.

Speaking of Free the Hops, founder Danner Kline welcomes the first of Magic Hat’s delicious offerings, the legendary #9, to Birmingham. If you don’t know Magic Hat, it’s Vermont’s finest brewery and famous for its delicious and innovative brews as well as the pithy sayings found underneath their bottle caps. Here’s hoping it won’t take too long to get more of their tasty beers here.

Move over Utopias (Sam Adams’ very high-gravity (27% ABV), very expensive small-batch annual brew), the folks at Scotland’s BrewDog have come up with an astounding 41% ABV beer called: Sink the Bismarck!. Evidently, this beer is a the latest salvo in an ABV arms race between BrewDog and German Brewery Schorschbrau. Here’s BrewDog’s no-holds-barred video celebrating the escalation:

Sink the Bismarck! from BrewDog on Vimeo.

The lads at BrewDog not only have a ripping sense of humor, but apparently a libertarian streak as well. From the Beeb: “BrewDog was previously branded irresponsible for an 18.2% beer called Tokyo, which it then followed with a low alcohol beer called Nanny State, then Tactical Nuclear Penguin.” Since such strong brew is out of my price range and illegal here in Bama (13.9% ABV is the more-lenient limit that thankfully became law last year, but way shy of 41%), it may be awhile before I can sample such high-gravity delights.

(via Danner)

Why it’s hard to find a quiet bar these days. (via Andrew Sullivan) Not sure if I buy this, but it seems to make sense–if it’s difficult to talk with your friends or strangers, you’re more likely to pass the time drinking.

The remaining links courtesy of my good friend Jacob Grier, who is a fine writer, coffee guru, mixologist and magician.

During Prohibition the feds decided to “scare” people away from booze by poisoning otherwise drinkable industrial alcohol. The result? 10,000 dead. Read the whole tragic tale in Slate. As Alex Tabarrok notes, the poisoning policy is still in effect, but due to the availability of cheap legal alcohol, folks are not dying much from tainted liquor these days. Jacob draws the obvious parallel to today’s disastrous prohibition policies: “The wrong lesson to take from this is that we’re more enlightened now. Poisoning the alcohol supply was an egregious abuse, but it’s a small step from that to forcing terminally ill AIDS and cancer patients to give up the marijuana that suppresses their vomiting, to mention just one of the most tragic casualties in the War on Drugs. With prohibition of any kind, grotesque absolutism often leads the government to choose killing its citizens over letting them get high.”

Forbes now has a booze blog. They’ve recently highlighted my favorite Bourbon: Bulleit, which is as their post notes delicious and reasonably priced.

Oregon State economist Patrick Emerson discusses the “Beeronomics” of shatterproof pints and whether they will lead to a decline in fighting. Hint: probably not.

On the beer trail in Vietnam. I wish I had applied for the visa now. It seems the three-day wait would’ve been worth it.

Nothing new to report on the romance front and this post will not be as long or elaborate as year’s past, but i do want to remind everyone of one of the best commentaries on St. Valentine’s life and work ever. Dig it here.

Update II: It’s snowing again! Maybe we’ll get a four-day weekend:)

Update: Local filmmaker Chance Shirley captures the event better than I could hope to:

———————————
Original post:

So it’s not as catchy as stars falling here, but still a notable event. It also gives me an opportunity to subject you to snow pictures along with some snow-themed poetry that I subjected my fellow classmates to in those snow-filled days at GMU. Enjoy or don’t:)

First, some pics from my neighborhood (more after the jump):

Snow-limned tree in my neighbor's yard

Intrepid snow dogs Baxter (l) and Annie (r)

I believe I wrote this in college, but evidently didn’t publish it til law school, when I should’ve known better:)

Snow

by yours truly

Crunching softly under my feet,
Frozen cotton litters the street
On the path, it whirls and slithers.
Touched by sun, it melts and withers.

It is snowing!

Flakes are blowing!

Here and there as they scurry on their way.

It’s over now (and the same goes for the snow) and it will be awhile before i subject you, gentle readers, to more (i have more than you want to know).

First published in George Mason University School of Law’s creative journal, “the scrivener,” vol. III, no. 1 – spring 2005.

Continue reading ‘Snow fell on Alabama’

Update II: Our rally was quite a success! We had about 30 people at any given time down at Five Points and close to 50 back at the meeting on Highland Avenue. We also had several news outlets cover us including: The Birmingham News, Fox 6 and CBS 42.

Here’s the video coverage from CBS 42:

We had mostly positive reactions from passersby, including folks from all walks of like–even a Birmingham police officer gave us a friendly wave as he drove by. There was a loud, drunk guy who kept coming over and yelling at or with us–it was hard to tell, but, eventually he moved on and the rally proceeded without incident.

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the rally!

Update: Given the weather situation, we’ve decided to push the rally start time to 2pm to give the roads a chance to de-ice. Please be careful out there. Make good decisions. If the roads near you are icy, we’d rather you join us next time than risk an accident.

Also, local media will be out to cover our event tomorrow, so please remember to keep it peaceful, polite and professional.

Hope to see y’all tomorrow.

Note from Alabamians for Compassionate Care:

UPDATE: Due to inclement weather conditions the time of this event has been pushed back by one hour. We will meet at 2330 Highland Avenue at 2 pm and begin our march to the Fountain at 5 Points South between 2:30 and 3:00 pm. The Birmingham News has confirmed that they will be coming out to report on our event. If road conditions are still problematic in your area at noon then do not attempt to attend. However, if you can safely make it to this event please come and bring as many people as you can.

—————————

Original post:

More advocacy coming at ya! I promise that I’ll get down to more “writing-type” writing soon, but I just haven’t had the time recently. However, if you’re in town this Saturday, you should feel free to load up on signs and bring your friends to a Medical Marijuana Awareness (details below). We’re aiming to make a strong show of support for the right of ill people and their doctors to choose whatever form of medicine best meets their needs without fear of arrest, incarceration or other official sanction. Policymakers and law enforcement have no business deciding what medicines are appropriate for patients. The therapeutic benefits of marijuana were widely known in this country before drug prohibition took effect. In fact, the American Medical Association opposed making cannabis illegal before prohibition and has recently come out in support of rescheduling. Please come out and support the rights of patients and doctors to determine the most effective treatment.

Also, Alabama Representative Patricia Todd of Birmingham is sponsoring legislation that would make Alabama the 15th state to implement a medical marijuana program to allow doctors to recommend and patients to obtain marijuana to treat a variety of ailments. Currently designated HB207, though I am told it will have a different designation soon, this legislation will not be brought up for a vote this session unless it passes out of the Alabama House Judiciary Committee. Please contact your state representative and urge him or her to support HB207. Please also contact Rep. Todd and thank her for introducing this legislation.

See y’all Saturday!!

Rally Details:

What: International Medical Marijuana Awareness Rally

Where: Meet at 2330 Highland Ave. So., Birmingham, AL 35205

When: This Saturday, February 13th from 1-4pm.

Who: You and all your friends!

If you plan to come to the rally, please also read this important note from Alabamians for Compassionate Care. In other words, be peaceful, polite and professional.

The remainder shamelessly, but gratefully:), lifted from the invitation sent out by the wonderful folks at ACC:

On Feb. 13, 2010 beginning at 1 p.m. members of Alabamians for Compassionate Care/Alabama NORML will kick off International Medical Marijuana Awareness Week with a celebration in Birmingham, Alabama with a pot luck dinner, fellowship, speakers and a short demonstration. If you plan to attend please bring a dish (preferred dishes: Finger Foods/Munchies) to share with other attendees; drinks will be provided. Later on we plan to have individual patients tell their stories about why they use medical marijuana, what they have to endure to get their medicine and how such obstacles have negatively impacted their lives. We will conclude our event by marching from 2330 Highland Ave. down to the fountain at 5 Points South and the back to the Hwy 280 overpass. Please make and bring signs about medical marijuana. Possible slogans include: I am a PATIENT not a criminal, My other medicine is addictive, STOP ARRESTING PATIENTS, MAKE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGAL, etc.

Please feel free to make up your own sign slogans so long as they have to do with medical marijuana.

The address of our celebration is

2330 Highland Ave. South (on Southside), Birmingham, AL 35205

This location is right next to Caldwell Park. Should our group become too large for the location we have selected we can and will spill over into the park, weather permitting.

Load your cars and trucks up with as many people as you can find and we look forward to seeing you there.

If you have questions or need further information please feel free to email me at lorettanall@gmail.com. You can also contact our Outreach coordinator Christie O’Brien at 205-907-6131/alabamacompcare@yahoo.com or by contacting our Web Coordinator Penny Vaughan at 256-276-0083/ luvlavndr@yahoo.com.

And the beat goes on…After last year’s victory in raising the ABV limit for beer here in ‘bama, there are two more battles this legislative session (going on now!) important for folks who dig liberty as well as a tasty brew.

Currently, Alabama brewers of which there aren’t many due to the regulations I’m about to try to explain, but including Birmingham’s own Good People Brewing Co. purveyor of many tasty brews that I enjoy as often as I can. So, here goes an attempt at explaining the current law. Currently, if the good folks at Good People or another budding brewery entrepreneur wants to open a brewery and sell their wares in Alabama, they have to first find a building designated as historic and do whatever needs to be done to retrofit it into a brewery rather than simply building from scratch. Also, that building has to be in a county where beer production was lawful before Prohibition and the brewers must find a distributor or local tavern to sell their beer because direct sales aren’t allowed. The historical building provision is designed with the admirable intention of preserving historic buildings. We all know where such intentions often lead and the unintended effect of that provision and the others is that the brewing industry, which if the old pictures at the 5 Points Jim ‘N Nicks and this Alabama commercial brewing history are to be believed was once a thriving industry here, has been hamstrung in Alabama. These provisions only apply to breweries, which seems unfair and possibly unconstitutional. If that seems as clear as mud, please go check out Free the Hops’ explanation of why this law needs to be changed. As always, the good folks at FTH have parsing and navigating our antiquated beer laws down to a science. (If you’re not already a member, why not join now?) Alabama Senate Bill 328, introduced by Senator Bobby Singleton, would get rid of all of the above restrictions and allow breweries to operate taprooms or restaurants where they could serve their tasty wares directly to thirsty customers. The House companion bill HB406, introduced by Representative Oliver Robinson, has already passed out of committee. Please encourage your Senator or Representative to support these bills and be sure to thank these gentlemen for sponsoring this legislation.

Another important piece of legislation, SB153, introduced by Senator Larry Dixon, would permit Alabama adults to brew beer, cider, mead and wine at home for personal consumption. Such legislation would bring us into parity with forty-seven other states as well as federal law, which as you may recall permits US residents to brew up to two hundred gallons of the aforementioned beverages each year for personal use. I myself have been known to engage in homebrewing from time to time and I know many other folks who regularly (though usually unintentionally) flout this law on a regular basis. Such a restriction serves no purpose and this, mostly unenforced, law needs to be stricken asap. Here’s how you can help. Get in touch with you Senators and urge them to make sure that SB153 is put on the Tourism and Marketing Committee’s agenda for this session, so that the full Senate can vote on it. Here are some talking points, courtesy of Free the Hops. And, of course, remember to thank Senator Dixon for introducing this legislation.

I know what you might be thinking: ” Man, I really want these two bills to become law, but emailing, faxing and calling down to Montgomery is hard. I just don’t know what to say, etc., etc, ad imnotgonnadoit.” As if the foregoing blocks of text weren’t exciting enough, I’m providing you with the text of an email I just sent to Senator Rodger Smitherman, my state senator who also happens to be on the Tourism and Marketing Committee:) To wit:

Hon. Senator [Your Senator's name],

I am writing you today to encourage you to support Senator Singleton’s legislation, SB328: The Alabama Brewery Modernization Act, to allow Alabama breweries to sell the beer that they brew on-site in a taproom, restaurant or combination of the two. The current restrictions prohibiting the sale at most breweries and the historical building and location requirements have proven a significant impediment to the growth of the brewing industry in this state and have not benefited Alabama in any way. Such restrictions arbitrarily handicap the brewing industry here at a time when we can ill afford such limits to economic growth. As the increase in business and profitability to many taverns across the state and to our own local brewery, Good People Brewing Co. located on Birmingham’s Southside, in the wake of last session’s passage of the Gourmet Beer Bill have demonstrated, Alabama’s beer connoisseurs are demanding more variety and better quality beers. With the exception of Good People and one or two other Alabama-based breweries, however, most of those gourmet beers are produced in other areas of the country. This bill would enable Alabama-based breweries to compete on an even footing with out-of-state breweries who are not subject to such antiquated restrictions. The House companion bill, HB406, has already passed out of committee.

I would also urge you to support SB153 introduced by Senator Dixon, which would remove legal restrictions on brewing beer, cider, mead and wine at home for personal consumption for Alabama residents. President Carter signed legislation in 1978 allowing Americans to brew up to two hundred gallons of beer, cider, mead or wine at home for personal consumption and forty-seven states already permit their residents to engage in the popular home brewing hobby. This bill is exactly the same legislation that passed out of the Alabama Tourism and Marketing Committee last session. Home brewers tend to be older, responsible residents whose family obligations or work schedules keep them from going out to enjoy craft brews at local establishments. Further, this bill will allow the home brew supply industry here to expand and potentially provide opportunities for local farmers to provide more of the agricultural ingredients necessary for brewing and wine making to these suppliers. Currently, SB153 is not on the Tourism and Marketing Committee’s agenda for this session. Please make sure that this legislation gets a hearing before the Committee.

For the reasons above, I urge you to continue your advocacy for economic growth in this state by supporting these important pieces of legislation and encouraging your colleagues to do the same.

Thank you for your time and attention in considering this matter.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]

So, there you go. Edit and remix as you see fit. Also works as a phone script:) Easy peasey lemon squeezy.

Hola Amigos,

It’s been awhile since I rapped at ya, but I’m thinking about blogging again. Where have I been, you may wonder (or not)? I’ve been right here in Bama, as always, planning, scheming, failing and getting back up to do it all over again. I kind of lost my taste for blogging and just let this site slip into a well-deserved coma. A lot of the rant-style posts I used to put here are now foisted (in thankfully abbreviated form) on the denizens of FaceBook (http://www.facebook.com/pintpundit) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/pintpundit), but, heck, maybe I’m ready to give it another shot. What with this here recession on, there’s not much else to do.

I’m going to try to write fewer, more quality posts and keep the ranting to a minimum:) To those who have allowed me to remain in their RSS feeds, thank you. Whether your kindness was due to nostalgia or pity, I’ll take what I can get. So what say you internets? To blog or not to blog?

Alternate title for this post: Back by unpopular demand or be careful what you don’t ask for.

Come on out to the 3rd annual Magic City Brewfest at Sloss this weekend! The Friday Session lasts from 7-11pm and the Saturday Session from 3-7pm. Enjoy over 200 beers, including several above the recently retired six percent limit, food and music.

If you haven’t already, join Free the Hops, the sponsor of the Brewfest and the driving force to reform Alabama’s antiquated beer laws. FTH’s efforts in getting the Gourmet Beer Bill passed is the reason you’re seeing high-gravity beers at your favorite establishments and stores around town and why you’ll be able to sample such tasty brews at the Brewfest this year.

Also, be sure to be responsible and plan ahead. You’ll have a better time and learn more about great beer if you keep your wits about you.

I’ll be there both days, so I hope to y’all there!

Today marks the 20th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre when the Chinese state violently ended weeks of peaceful protests for democratic reform and killed hundreds of its own citizens for daring to speak out against repression. Even though most of us let this day pass unnoticed, the Chinese state has not forgotten and remains committed to squelching dissent by any means necessary. Be thankful for the freedom you enjoy. And remember what a fragile thing that freedom is as you think of those who have to watch what they say or do because their lives depend on it.

Previous remembrances.

More remembrances around the web:

Cato

Claudia Rosett in the WSJ

Reason

Radley Balko

As most of you are no doubt aware, Governor Riley signed the Gourmet Beer Bill into law on Friday. While I’d like to think that my first post as Birmingham’s Political Issues Examiner this past Thursday had something to do with it, the truth is that this victory is the result of the efforts of thousands of folks working for years to have freedom of beverage choice here in Alabama. Many of those folks, including myself, were celebrating this victory at the J. Clyde on Friday.

The real drivers of this change were the leaders, members and fellow travellers of Free the Hops who have proven that a committed grassroots movement can effect change in Alabama. Going from an idea to such a force in less than five years is nothing short of incredible, especially considering the political climate in this state and the fact that many of our politicians use their pharisaical opposition to all alcoholic beverages as a campaign plank. I, for one, will relish my first taste of Alabama-bought high-gravity beer as the sweet taste of freedom commingled with victory.

Of course every silver lining has a touch of grey, so we can’t forget that the battle for free brews is not over in here in the heart of dixie. As Danner Kline reminds us:

While the post below is titled “The Hops Are Free,” that’s not entirely correct. Raising the ABV limit was the primary reason I started FTH, and it was always our highest priority, but there are other antiquated, asinine laws oppressing the craft beer industry in this state. We’ll be having lots of discussions in the coming days about what to do next year, but rest assured we will continue to fight for sane beer regulation in Alabama, and there is much work left to be done. And we still need your help. So stay tuned — we’ve proven a grassroots effort can change Alabama law for the better. Let’s keep up the good work.

The restrictions on container size, homebrewing and brewpubs remain in place and will likely prove as difficult, if not moreso, to remove. I have it on good authority that the container size restriction (no bottles above 16 ounces) will likely be the next target for Free the Hops. We need to keep pushing for more freedom and fewer needless and arbitrary laws that make criminals out of folks who aren’t doing anything wrong.