Hank Erwin Blocks Gourmet Beer Bill
Photo by Tyler Pierce
Today the Alabama senate briefly considered the Gourmet Beer Bill, a bill that removes the 6% alcohol by volume restriction placed on beer (and beer only, not hard liquor) sold in Alabama. Alabama is one of the only states left in the union to preserve this type of law that is left over from concessions made during the repeal of prohibition. Senator Hank Erwin quickly began a filibuster to block its passage. Hank Erwin is an outspoken religious kook pharisee zealot on anything alcohol related. He believes in legislating his own personal view of Christianity that involves compulsory, government-enforced obedience to Mosaic law and the Nazarite vow, which we all know is exactly what Jesus advocated. Saudi Arabia has done wonders applying his logic and Islam to their government. When Senator Erwin runs for Lieutenant Governor next year as a Republican I plan to cast my first vote for a Democrat, unless his opponent is equally reprehensible, which is difficult to imagine.
However, all is not lost! The bill was carried over at the call of the committee chair. In lay-speak this means that the bill’s sponsor can now introduce the bill at any time…like when Hank Erwin goes to the crapper. Unfortunately, that’s really one of the only two solutions. Either the vote must go down while Senator Erwin is absent or the Free the Hops lobbyist must convince him to abstain from filibuster, which would be a complete Black Swan.
As a side note, a compromise had to be made in the wording of the bill. As it now reads, convenience stores will not be able to sell beer greater than 6% ABV. This is a crushing blow to my favorite place to buy craft beer, the BP in Five Points. There is no guarantee that the change will be in the final bill, but I think it’s a pretty safe bet. If the change persists then this is an issue to be battled in future years along with homebrewing, brewpub restrictions, and the 16 oz container size restriction. It’s a completely unfair amendment that discriminates against small businesses, but it was a necessary battle to lose in order to win the war.
Danner from Free the Hops recounts the day’s events in detail here. You can listen to the audio of Senator Erwin on the senate floor here.