http://www.alchemistbeer.com/a-distribution-strategy/ They expect to send more to Boston soon, but I doubt you'll find it anywhere else in the MA/NH area. Just Vermont and Philly right now.
Go to CNNSI and skip to about 4 paragraphs off the very bottom of the "Monday Morning Quarterback" column http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Ryan Tannehill not a lock for Dolphins or top 10; more recent?2012 NFL Draft?buzz - Peter King - SI.com&urlID=476693271&action=cpt&partnerID=678912&fb=Y&url=http://cnnsi.com/2012/writers/peter_king/04/22/mmqb/index.html
Nothing like getting your law-breaking ways documented in writing by the country's most widely read NFL columnist.
Gotta love Peter King - he's been on the slippery slope of craft beer for a year or two now, and I half-expect to see him at Extreme Beer Fest before long. Though I'm sure Eastern Standard is now cringing at the public outing of their Heady Topper self-distribution in a huge nationwide column...
Tips where to find in Bennington? Heading up to Mt Snow in about two weeks and if there is HT that far south, I may have to track down a couple packs.
So did the laws change, are they completely ignorant to them, or do they just not care because their odds of anything happening are effectively zero? And why aren't other places doing this kind of stuff more often if nobody cares?
I suspect that the tweeters simply haven't talked to the lawyers. Heck, the Bros illegally served Pliny at one of their beer dinners.
There's a bar/rest in Boston that has had Pliny on their bottle list for almost two years! They just have it Fed Ex'd. Some people don't mind taking the risk.
Yeah I know about that, and I've certainly seen some other things over the years that I know shouldn't be served, but never anything this brazen. What is the penalty if you get caught doing this?
It varies...there is no set penalty. But its certainly in their power to take your license away. This is bootlegging or tax evasion. They tend to frown heavily upon such things
We have a little multiball going on here--take a look at my post in this thread. Assuming a first-time offense, probably a license suspension of 5-30 days, held in abeyance.
So basically there's no penalty for getting caught once as long as you don't do it again. I guess if they're really selling 15 cases a week, it's well worth it. I'm guessing they're marking up the hell out of these, so they could easily be making an extra $2000 or so per week. $100,000 a year with a low risk of getting a slap on the wrist? I'm surprised more bars don't do it...
Is there any penalty for knowingly selling to someone who is bootlegging (or whatever the official term for this offence is)? You can't tell me that the brewery doesn't know what's going on when the same guy is stopping in to 15 cases every month.
I'll leave it for the lawyers to decide, but to my eyes, at the very least somewhere between RR and the table someone violated sec 22 (prohibiting importation w/o a permit) or sec 12 (prohibiting BYOB in licensed establishments).
The brewery should not be held responsible if the brewery sold the beer in Vermont according to Vermont rules.
Why is this bootlegging? I am confused. Heady Topper is a beer registered in MA. Vermont law allows The alchemist to sell beer to others for resale.
It is illegal to transport alcohol in MA without a permit: Those authorized in the section are * Personal use, including for family and guests, up to 20gal beer * Licensees, in permitted vehicles only, * Railroads/shipping/trucking operators, if they own a permit It is also illegal to sell beer that you didn't buy from a wholesaler or manufacturer that holds a MA license. See here.
Wouldn't the Alchemist already have a license to sell to MA? Obviously there is no getting around the transporting issue.
They're not licensed to sell in MA. They're licensed to sell in VT, and then MA wholesaler(s) bring the beer over the border and sell to MA businesses. At least that's how it's supposed to work.
Good to know, I thought it was illegal to bring across for personal use as well - why the staties used to hide at the NH liquor stores writing down MA plates ... not that it ever stopped me, but still
More BS government control. All it does is allow distributors to set up little "kingdoms". The alcohol laws really need some review.
I'm not aware of anything like this ever. I did read about some traffic stops for suspected fireworks purchasers.
It's illegal to import alcohol into MA without a license, even for personal use (some news coverage). Moving to MA and want to bring your cellar? You technically need a permit.
I just meant I've never heard of state police camping out looking to bust people for buying a few six packs or cases for personal use. Though apparently, having read your link, they did do this in 1976. Wow.
They have in the past, the article emannths linked references a funny episode where the NH troopers detained the MA troopers who were waiting up there writing down license plates. I think the only time someone would get busted these days was if they got stopped for say speeding and the cop noticed boxes of alcohol in the back seat and they admitted bringing it from NH
whats with all these weird laws? the goverment, really needs to dial it back a bit. we have enough real problems to worry about without worrying about who ships what beer somewhere.
looks like we have a few wanna-be lawyers out there. Getting back to the original topic...yes, Heady may be available at a few retail stores in Mass later this week, but I wouldn't count on it being widely available and/or on a permanent basis.
