Quote:
Originally Posted by sortie
You forgot something. This is regulated by state!
http://norcalbeers.tribe.net/thread/...0-395e8f851948
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In addition there are laws for microbreweries that allow different, often higher, alcohol content.
So if you were a micro brewer with a limited distribution then your story is not the "norm". |
It's not that I forgot that... it's that I didn't see the point in going into such detail. The question was in regards to 4.5%... and the false premise of the beverage being called "Malt Liquor" after that... and though I was familiar with the Texas law (one of the many states my beer was distributed into was Texas), "Ale" is still "Beer." The only state that might be regarded as disallowing beer more than 4.5% is Utah - and I believe, though briefly, I touched on that.
There are also lots of other crazy laws like those throughout the country - a lot of which are a result of the America Macrobrew lobby to keep foreign beer out of the hands of Americans back in the 70's and before... but many of those are being repealed as Americans are waking up and smelling the hops!
The American Microbrew scene has come a long way since the days of Ken and Steve Grossman making Sierra Nevada Pale Ale out of their garage in the 80's - not constrained by any real sense of formulaic tradition, American breweries are producing products with absolutely no bounds on what goes in or what can come out of a beer - making for a very lively scene.
Ask any brewer in the world where the most new and exciting things are happening in regards to beer, and I'd bet you the next pint he says the U.S.
