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Traveller's Advisory: Silly Beer Laws - Page 2

© Paul Ruschmann

With apologies to its residents, who've been very kind to me, I find Pennsylvania the nation's most frustrating state for buying beer. Stores aren't allowed to sell less than a case--something visitors learn when they try to break one up and get a scolding from an employee. If you want a six-pack, you have to buy it at a tavern-at a hefty markup.

You say there aren't any strange beer laws where you live? Think again. Dozens of craft beers are unavailable, thanks to the way beer is distributed in this country.

To make a long story short, the Twenty-First Amendment, which repealed Prohibition, gave states broad authority to control the sale of alcoholic beverages. Most legislatures responded by forbidding brewers to sell directly to the public. They mandated a "three-tier" system: the brewer sells to a distributor which, in turn, sells the beer to bars and stores.

Modern-day beer distributors are wealthy and powerful businessmen, who profit from having a legalized monopoly. And their privileged position comes at your expense: in many states, distributors limit the selection of beer you can enjoy.

Whether you can buy a particular beer at home depends whether the distributor handles it. If it doesn't, there are several possible explanations. Maybe the brewery doesn't distribute the brand in your area. Perhaps it isn't worth the distributor's time and effort to handle it. Or possibly, a big brewery has pressured the distributor to avoid competitor's products.

So the beer you love isn't available where you live. How about asking the brewery to sell you some? That, too, is a no-no. In many states, the three-tier system bars breweries from shipping beer directly to you. And state officials-who ought to be chasing real criminals--are enforcing direct-shipment laws with a vengeance. Their justification is-you guessed it-that "cyberbooze" promotes underage drinking.

The bottom line: beer and politics don't mix. A great deal of legislation--and we're not just talking about beer--is the result of misguided emotion and strong-armed lobbying. If you find silly beer laws where you live, speak up. Write your lawmakers and explain to them why they don't make sense. Be reasonable, but be persistent. After all, it took a lot of grass-roots work to legalize homebrewing and brewpubs.

Compared to the world's other injustices, silly beer laws are--pun intended--small beer. Nevertheless, they're not only silly, but also a reminder that Prohibition is very much alive.

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