Anheuser-Busch Interferes With “Stone Bill” In South Carolina
Earlier this year, The Full Pint reported that Stone Brewing Co. is looking to expand to the Eastern United States. They put out an RFP outlining criteria a city, state and property owner would have to meet in order for Stone to entertain the offer. Many East Coast states salivated over the thought of having the craft beer power house in their neck of the woods. South Carolina went as far as writing up new proposed legislation that would accommodate the luxuries we take for granted here in California: growler fills, keg sales, etc straight from the source.
Not at all surprising, a South Carolina beer blog Drink, Blog, Repeat posted that AB-In Bev has already got the wheels turning on doing what they can to stop citizens of South Carolina from reforming the state alcohol laws to accommodate a place like Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens. Wonderful right? No. Here’s an excerpt to the post from Drink, Blog, Repeat.
In news that’s not at all surprising, Anheuser-Busch has begun a heavy push against the so-called Stone Bill, writing a letter to state senators and urging them to strike down the amendment aimed at creating more jobs and expanding the state’s craft beer industry.
In a letter sent to South Carolina senators, Attorney Amanda K. Wuenscher of Columbia-based Mike Daniel & Associates argues a myriad of issues against the legislation, including that its passage “erodes the current three tier system for alcohol distribution,” would give an unfair advantage to small brewpubs and breweries and was written too hastily and flippantly to be taken seriously.
Read the entire article here: http://drinkblogrepeat.com/2014/05/19/anheuser-busch-begins-push-against-stone-bill/
May 22, 2014 @ 10:02 am
before Anheuser Busch mettled with South Carolina legislation, they helped stop Stone Brewing from looking at Alabama as a potential location. $250,000 in campaign contributions went to politicians in the state of Alabama during 2013 from beer distributors. They use this money and influence to control the outcome of legislation in many states. Combine that with other large breweries as members of the beer wholesalers Association and financial backing and you have the power to control legislation through an army of lobbyists and politicians dependent upon their financial support for reelection
May 21, 2014 @ 5:01 pm
I take umbrage with that statement, Randall. I am absolutely an advocate for South Carolina, its beer and its breweries. Ask anyone who knows me or reads the blog regularly about how passionate I am regarding this state’s beer scene.
My opinion piece on Stone’s possible presence in SC was just that: an opinion. A lot of people asked me what I thought about the issue and I decided to take the time to get all my thoughts out at once. It is a long read, but it’s thorough and covers as much as I wanted to dive into. It’s not the first long opinion piece I’ve written, and I wouldn’t have taken the time to write it if a lot of people hadn’t told me they respected or wanted to know my opinion on the issue.
Do I have concerns about Stone possibly locating in SC? Yes, but as I’ve said many times before, that in no way means I would ever push against them picking the state for their East Coast operation. I’ve been just as vocal about it as anyone here. If anything, the past few weeks since that piece was published has swayed me and shown just how much breweires and drinkers alike want them here. I still stand by my concerns, but I’ve always seen and understood the other side of the argument.
But hey, thanks for the traffic!
Nick
DBR
May 21, 2014 @ 5:50 pm
Thanks for the reply Nick. I read your post about Stone in SC, it made perfect sense for me and we think you are a great advocate of Craft Beer in your state.
Cheers,
Jonny
May 21, 2014 @ 10:48 am
Drink Blog Repeat is not exactly the best advocate in the state of SC, and it wasn’t the first or best by any means to bring to light what AB-InBev was doing.
Take a look at this, for example, if you have the stamina to read through it:
http://drinkblogrepeat.com/2014/04/17/on-stone-in-sc/
May 21, 2014 @ 9:35 am
Red state politicians seem to be bought and sold much easier. Good luck Stone.
May 21, 2014 @ 7:54 am
Here on the West Coast, at least, COSTCO has already demolished the vaunted “three tier” system apparently in peril in South Carolina. The distributor has been squeezed out and prices are lower. I doubt that many of those who drink a 6-pack or two of Bud Lite will give up those diet drinks for a few of Stone’s offerings so Anhueser-Busch has little to fear. It’s not like they have to brew a better product
May 21, 2014 @ 7:36 am
Anheuser-Busch’s Fizzy Yellow Beer couldn’t hold a candle to Stone’s Brewery. Arrogant Bastard and Ruination for everyone!!!!!