Alcohol rules in Alabama/Birmingham? (Tuscaloosa, Hoover: purchase, closing, property taxes)

[Socal2Bham]

To get a little off my own topic... since the church/religion question came up in a few posts, it reminded me of another observation I was curious about.

So of course I've noticed that you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a mega church in the South, but I recently noticed they all seem to be Baptist, Methodist or Episcopal. I can't say that I've ever seen any Catholic churches?

On the west coast, the church goers seem to be predominantly Catholic. I never thought about organized religion being a regional thing.

While I was baptized Catholic I do not participate in organized religion but I do find the nature of it all interesting.

[HSVmom]

Hi Socal2Bham,

The last time I checked, Catholics make up only about 3% of the population in Alabama. That info is a few years old now, so the % may have increased a little bit. The largest concentration, not surprisingly, is in Mobile, which is the seat of the original Archdiocese of this area.

The diocese of Birmingham was later formed and serves the central and northern parts of the state. In B'ham, the Cathedral of St. Paul is located downtown and is a lovely old building, although in constant need of repair. Some of the churches in B'ham are rather ugly (IMHO) but a newer one off Hwy 280, St. Mark the Evangelist, is quite lovely.

In Huntsville, I'm partial to St. Mary of the Visitation (I think that's the correct title) as far as architecture, but not necessarily its current mode of worship. I know of only one Catholic parish in Madison, St. John the Baptist on Hughes Rd. It's not the most attractive structure (clearly, I prefer traditional architecture) but seems to have a very active parish that's involved in all sorts of service projects. Unlike B'ham, Huntsville does have a St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop and also seems to do more food pantry work.

[HSVmom]

Back to alcohol rules...I was told recently that it's illegal to sell liquor-filled confections in Alabama, either in local shops or through the mail. Oops. Our family (going back a couple of generations) has always been fond of goodies such as chocolates filled with brandy, amaretto or other spirits, and we serve them from Thanksgiving through Epiphany. Guess I'll have to ask the monks in Kentucky to send our bourbon fudge in a plain brown wrapper this year. If I fail to post again after November, you'll know what happened to me.

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Alcohol Board of Control
These stores are owned by the state. I believe Florida has them...or did...
Sunday alcohol sales are regulated by law. In Alabama, only certain counties may have Sunday alcohol sales. The state legislature (I THINK) decides which counties. It may then be put to a county vote.
In Alabama, dry means dry. But in other states, it could mean beer/wine but no liquor; liquor but no beer/wine; package but not by the drink or vice versa.

thanks for the reply Southlander that clears it up for me. Wow such strict rules on alcohol sales! I'm in Orlando at the moment & am peeved that you can't buy beer or wine after 2 AM which is the cut off time. In Miami it's 5 AM at clubs but you could buy beer or wine 24/7 at the stores!
Oh the ABC stores I have seen here in Orlando are private stores.

[Eeyore]

Alabama is predominately protestant. But that's not to say we dont have a substantial Catholic population.

Interestingly EWTN studios are in the B'ham area. Also it is the only Southern city with representation of three primary branches of the Catholic Church: Roman Catholic, Maronite, and Melkite.

I'm pretty sure it is legal to sell candies with alcohol in them because we sold them all the time in the confection shop I used to work in. Also, we sold authentic home-made gelato and we had flavors such as Guinness and Champagne. We just didn't sell them to children.

eeyore

[Socal2Bham]

Originally Posted by Eeyore

Also it is the only Southern city with representation of three primary branches of the Catholic Church: Roman Catholic, Maronite, and Melkite.

LOL, I didn't even know there were 3 branches of the Catholic Church. They must have taught that after I got booted from CCD classes.

Mmm amaretto and chocolate! Why have I never tasted such confections?! Or is it moonshine and chocolate in Alabama?

[HSVmom]

From Alabama Code:
Section 20-1-23
When articles deemed adulterated - Confectionery.
In the case of confectionery, it shall be deemed adulterated if it contains terra alba, barytes, talc, chrome yellow, burnt umber or other mineral substance or poisonous coloring or flavoring or other ingredients detrimental to health or any vinous, malt or spirituous liquor or compound or narcotic drug.

(emphasis added)

I know that some stores have sold truffles, for example, containing "spiritous liquor" and have gotten into trouble for it. An employee of a rather upscale shop told me about this, and because I didn't quite believe it, I had to look it up for myself. Having had questions about state law previously, I knew that the Code of AL is posted online by the state and is easily searched.

Don't know about 'shine and chocolate, but my husband tells me that he finds bourbon goes well with dark chocolate.

[Reactionary]

On the topic of Alabama's illogical liquor laws:

"A giant incentive for staying dry comes from the way the state distributes TVA royalties. The TVA, a federally owned energy company, gives a lot of money (approaching $100 million a year) in various royalties to the state of Alabama for payments-in-lieu-of-taxes. A crazy Alabama law distributes some of this money to Clarke County and other dry counties simply because they are dry counties even though they are far outside the TVA service area...

So because the TVA gives money “in lieu of taxes” to Alabama for their operations in north Alabama, Clarke County in the Black Belt gets about $200,000 a year in revenues. The current law gives 5% of the payments-in -lieu-of-taxes to dry counties and municipalities not served by the TVA.

So if you’re wondering why so many counties continue to stay dry in today’s Alabama, part of the problem is that the state bribes them to stay that way. Worst yet, it bribes them with money that should probably go to other counties. A bill was introduced this year to change all that, but it didn’t make it very far.

Other counties that get TVA money despite being outside TVA’s service area include Washington, Monroe, Coffee, Geneva, Bibb, Chilton, Pickens, Clay, Randolph, Lamar, Fayette, Marian, Walker, and Blount counties."

Daily Dixie: Make Clarke County wet?

[Eeyore]

That's so interesting. So.....what does TVA stand for and why do they care so much if we imbibe?

Re: confections. thanks for clearing that up. I think it is a rediculous law...but it would be cool to get my former employer in trouble...seeing as how she treated me so AWFULly. lol

hmmmm Thinking......

eeyore

[Threestep]

Originally Posted by Eeyore

Alabama is predominately protestant. But that's not to say we dont have a substantial Catholic population.

Interestingly EWTN studios are in the B'ham area. Also it is the only Southern city with representation of three primary branches of the Catholic Church: Roman Catholic, Maronite, and Melkite.

I'm pretty sure it is legal to sell candies with alcohol in them because we sold them all the time in the confection shop I used to work in. Also, we sold authentic home-made gelato and we had flavors such as Guinness and Champagne. We just didn't sell them to children.

eeyore

You may want to let Rome know about the three branches:>)