In the midst of Alabama’s current virtual high gravity beer shower, we mustn’t forget the hard-working folks at Free the Hops have moved on to the next stage of their adventure in loosening Alabama’s antiquated prohibition laws for brewpubs and breweries. They’re calling it the “Brewery Modernization Act” and it sounds just as good as “Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints” to me.

As we should all know by now – and you will be tested later – last year, FTH managed to introduce legislation that would lead to the eventual elevation of the legal alcohol-by-volume in beer sold in Alabama from six percent to 13.9 percent.

But this year’s legislative session has the potential to bring a whole new and interesting twist to the “think global, buy local” mantra that has become so popular recently amongst “greenies,” Lagniappers and generally courteous and occasionally pretentious people alike.

This year, one goal FTH has set is seeking to remove the burden placed upon brewpubs, which can currently sell the beer they brew on premise, but can’t bottle the stuff for sale elsewhere. I’m not absolutely positive, but at the moment I don’t think you can even get a really long straw and sip some local brew from outside the front door of a brewpub.

Even more restrictive is the legislation requiring brewpubs to be located only in historic buildings. They’re also looking to obliterate that hunk of junk, too!

So, a few weeks ago I sat down for a few tasty post-work adult beverages with two new friends involved in the local chapter of FTH, and as we pined over our favorite brews like a couple kids talking about our childhood role-models, we soon began to discuss the various upsides to the groups most recent mission.

The following was the ripened and ready-to-pick fruit of our conversation.

The first and most obvious starting point is the exciting and now more likely prospect of an operational brewpub in town. This is a luxury recently erased from Mobile’s booze scene, but hopefully, in harmony with our state’s current beer revolution, we’ll see a solution to that situation soon. It’d certainly be easier if the Brewery Modernization Act is passed.

Then you’ve also got to think about the possibility of two, or even three, brewpubs in LoDa, or scattered between there and WeMo for that matter! To me, that sounds like business, and I know from my days covering Mobile’s City Council that Mobile’s leaders would welcome such businesses, provided the owners haven’t served alcohol to minors in the past and their building proposal – if in a historic district – isn’t a monstrous sore thumb of a structure. They’ll take your tax dollars at least.

But, what if these fictitious brewpubs were able to bottle their lovely creations right up, wrap them in neat little labels saying things like “Port City India Pale Ale” or “Port City Porter” and sell them in stores around, or even outside, our fair city?

Even if our hometown beer wasn’t that good, I bet people would buy it because: A) it’d be cheaper due to a near complete lack of transportation costs and B) Why not try some local stuff from time to time? While our conversation focused largely on brewpubs, breweries would also benefit from the Brewery Modernization Act by gaining the ability to do exactly the opposite of the changes sought for brewpubs – serve beer on premises. This would free up the ability to conduct brewery tours as well as allow breweries to host tastings and possibly even open restaurants or pubs on site.

Either way you choose to discuss these differences, FTH has done something wise in choosing to group brewpubs and breweries together in the legislation they are proposing.

This is how the main objectives of the Brewery Modernization Act are broken down on freethehops.org: – There’s no more “brewpubs” and “distributing breweries” as legal distinctions. If your business is licensed to make beer, it’s simply a “brewery.”

– A brewery can sell beer at the brewery (at a tap room or brewpub) and/or sell it through a wholesaler to other bars, restaurants and stores.

– Breweries are specifically allowed to have tours and to participate at beer festivals.

This could all happen very rapidly – as early as the next legislative agenda – or it could take a few years like the Gourmet Beer Bill. So good luck Alabama hop liberators, we’ll be looking to follow up when things really get crackin’. Fight the good fight!

“Don’t worry, be hoppy”

If you’re looking to do nothing but get “hoppy” these days, there’s a new event coming to LoDa in March you may wish to know about.

Mobile Baykeeper, Budweiser Distributing and Gulf Distributing will be sponsoring the first annual Hopsfest in Cathedral Square on March 20.

The event promises to be jam-packed with new high gravity beers as well as some favorites the Alabama market has seen on shelves for quite some time. There will also be live music in the form of Delta Reign Duo’s Pat and Benita Murphy.

The event is scheduled to last from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and tickets will run you 25 smackaroos, also buying you a yearlong membership to Mobile Baykeeper.

The tentative list of suppliers featured at the event will include: Atlanta Brewing Company, Global Imports (Piraat/Gulden Draak), Yazoo Brewing Company, Gordon Biersch, Great divide, Tommy knocker, Hook and Ladder, Avery brewing Company, Michelob Brewing, Sweetwater Brewing, Abita Brewing Company, Boston Beer Company, Terrapin Beer Company, Boulder Beer Company, Bell’s Brewery, Chimay, Rogue Ales, Lazy Magnolia Brewery and Magic Hat Brewery.

Proceeds will go toward keeping our watershed clean, healthy and beautiful, so don’t miss out.

We should all be very happy to see a beer-inclusive charitable event like this pop up within a year after FTH’s initial Gourmet Beer Bill victory.

Hopefully there will be more to come!