[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by Oildog

OKC has a major league sports team now. They better repeal some of the drinking laws otherwise thats big $$$ lost.

For instance what laws? Like is it against the law to drink beer in the Ford Center? Is it against the law to drink beer in the street or at a city park?

[okcpulse]

Can someone educate me please?? I know the liquor law in this state is so stupid, as in you can only buy "import" beer in a liquor store which is 5% alcohol, and not domestic. But why can I buy Shiner Bock (brewed and bottled in Texas) in that same liquor store and it's 5%? Last time I checked Texas was still a part of the US, even though they still are having second thoughts on that!

briansgi,

The reason you cannot buy major domestic beer at Oklahoma liquor stores is because Budweiser, Coors and Miller all have a moratorium against Oklahoma regarding 5% beer. It issue is a law Oklahoma has on the books that does not allow alcoholic beverage manufacturers to franchise with liquor wholesale distributors. Oklahoma has what is called an open wholesale system, where beverage companies must sell to all wholesalers in the state on a same-price basis.

Because Coors, Miller and Anheuser-Busch require that a franchise agreement must be in place with a wholesale distributor, they are withholding strong beer sales in Oklahoma until the open wholesale system is abolished for a territorial franchise system, as it is in 48 other states.

The reason liquor stores sell Shiner Bock is because Shiner doesn't care about whether or not a state has an open wholesale system. Neither does Pabst, Stroh's or Samuel Adams, all domestic brewers.

The moratorium began in 1977 when strong Budweiser, Coors and Miller was being sold at Oklahoma liquor stores. A dispute between an Ardmore distributor and Coors went to court after Coors told the Ardmore distributor they already had someone else in Ardmore distributing Coors. The court ruled in 1976 that Coors must sell to the Ardmore distributor, or face a violation of the franchise ban. Coors ceased selling 5% beer in Oklahoma. Miller and A-B followed suit, as well as Schlitz.

So for the last 30 years, the big three and state have had a silent standoff, while the rest of Oklahoma grew obsessed with buying beer from Texas instead of fighting this ridiculous franchise ban. So, in a way, it is our own fault.

Utah liquor stores do not carry the big three domestic beers, but because the entire system is state-owned and controlled from top to bottom. And Salt Lake seems to be doing fine with the Utah Jazz.

Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Utah and Oklahoma require that any establishment other than a liquor store can only sell 3.2% ABW beer. Oh, and, ever wonder why Rolling Rock stopped selling in Oklahoma liquor stores? Because A-B bought the rights to distribute Rolling Rock. In turn, Rolling Rock disappears off the shelves.

[beowulf7]

Originally Posted by BigOkie

Because the distilling process makes it inherently easier to control the amount of alcohol in the drink. With beer, you have yeast acting on it's own, so there are variables. How active is the yeast? Is the batch the correct temperature? That plays into all of it.

I've never brewed my own beer before, but I figured that mass-produced beer is always created the same way for a particular brand. Otherwise, you're implying that one can of Bud could taste much different, and have much different alcohol content, then another can of Bud (assuming skunkiness has not yet set in).

Originally Posted by karibear

Just as long as all know that Mike's Hard Lemonade is actually alcoholic. Some guy got arrested at a game of some kind within the past year for letting his son sip it. They thought it was regular lemonade, until one of the security guards told him otherwise and arrested him and put his little boy into the state's child welfare system.

That's horrible!

Originally Posted by shocka

There are counties in TX that are completely dry. NO ALCOHOL SALES. That is way worse than 3.2 beer. Even in the DFW area there are place that they cannot sell alcohol. As far as surrounding states that have the best alcohol regulation look to Missouri. You can walk in a quick stop and buy a half gallon of crown.

Yes, there were some towns in NJ that were also dry. They're funny b/c they have liquor stores and bars literally on the outskirts of the dividing township line.

[LadyRobyn]

Just sittin' here enjoying a half-frozen 3.2 and laughing... Cheers!

Originally Posted by okcpulse

Oh, and, ever wonder why Rolling Rock stopped selling in Oklahoma liquor stores? Because A-B bought the rights to distribute Rolling Rock. In turn, Rolling Rock disappears off the shelves.

Honestly I didn't know they had pulled RR. I'll have to check that out. Now that A-B has been bought out by In-Bev, wonder if it will change?

On the west coast I ALWAYS drank Budweiser Beer... when we got here, I picked up a six-pack at the liquor store and it was NASTY!

I thought maybe it was just a bad batch, so I tried a couple more times all with the same result. Blech! I don't know what the difference is but it is really disgusting. (Tried picking some up in TX and it was just as bad. )

I'm happy with Miller Gold 3.2 now... tastes just fine.

[karibear]

Originally Posted by LadyRobyn

Just sittin' here enjoying a half-frozen 3.2 and laughing... Cheers!



Honestly I didn't know they had pulled RR. I'll have to check that out. Now that A-B has been bought out by In-Bev, wonder if it will change?

On the west coast I ALWAYS drank Budweiser Beer... when we got here, I picked up a six-pack at the liquor store and it was NASTY!

I thought maybe it was just a bad batch, so I tried a couple more times all with the same result. Blech! I don't know what the difference is but it is really disgusting. (Tried picking some up in TX and it was just as bad. )

I'm happy with Miller Gold 3.2 now... tastes just fine.

I don't know about Bud, we used to have mostly Rainier, Coors, and Oly, and Coors and Oly were considered regional, since they were both made from natural water local to the breweries. If they've started shipping any distance, I would imagine any preservatives or stabilizers would have an adverse effect on the flavors. I never drank Bud unless someone had it at home and offered it [very rare]. The only thing about Bud I ever really liked anyway was the horses.

[beowulf7]

^ A-B's Super Bowl commercials are first class. Unfortunately, their beers are not.

[DP_MoveSoon]

What are the rules regarding tap beer at restaurants? All still 3.2 or is it just whats available?

[BigOkie]

Originally Posted by DP_MoveSoon

What are the rules regarding tap beer at restaurants? All still 3.2 or is it just whats available?

Beers at restaurants can be greater than 3.2. I drink quite a few of them.

[briansgi]

Originally Posted by okcpulse

briansgi,

The reason you cannot buy major domestic beer at Oklahoma liquor stores is because Budweiser, Coors and Miller all have a moratorium against Oklahoma regarding 5% beer. It issue is a law Oklahoma has on the books that does not allow alcoholic beverage manufacturers to franchise with liquor wholesale distributors. Oklahoma has what is called an open wholesale system, where beverage companies must sell to all wholesalers in the state on a same-price basis.

Because Coors, Miller and Anheuser-Busch require that a franchise agreement must be in place with a wholesale distributor, they are withholding strong beer sales in Oklahoma until the open wholesale system is abolished for a territorial franchise system, as it is in 48 other states.

The reason liquor stores sell Shiner Bock is because Shiner doesn't care about whether or not a state has an open wholesale system. Neither does Pabst, Stroh's or Samuel Adams, all domestic brewers.

The moratorium began in 1977 when strong Budweiser, Coors and Miller was being sold at Oklahoma liquor stores. A dispute between an Ardmore distributor and Coors went to court after Coors told the Ardmore distributor they already had someone else in Ardmore distributing Coors. The court ruled in 1976 that Coors must sell to the Ardmore distributor, or face a violation of the franchise ban. Coors ceased selling 5% beer in Oklahoma. Miller and A-B followed suit, as well as Schlitz.

So for the last 30 years, the big three and state have had a silent standoff, while the rest of Oklahoma grew obsessed with buying beer from Texas instead of fighting this ridiculous franchise ban. So, in a way, it is our own fault.

Utah liquor stores do not carry the big three domestic beers, but because the entire system is state-owned and controlled from top to bottom. And Salt Lake seems to be doing fine with the Utah Jazz.

Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Utah and Oklahoma require that any establishment other than a liquor store can only sell 3.2% ABW beer. Oh, and, ever wonder why Rolling Rock stopped selling in Oklahoma liquor stores? Because A-B bought the rights to distribute Rolling Rock. In turn, Rolling Rock disappears off the shelves.

Thanks for the explanation. I guess it's the domestic brewers loss, cause I end up buying Shiner at the liquor store. I don't drink much, but when I do it's not going to be 3.2!

[Goodpasture]

Shiner has more flavor and character than coors or A-B or Miller combined..........