Legislature may liberalize law on libations

The Huntsville Times has this report: "Beer bill backers can taste victory."

MONTGOMERY - A group called Free the Hops wants Alabama retailers to be able to sell beer with more than double the alcohol content that state law allows. ...

State Sen. Parker Griffith, D-Huntsville, has introduced a bill that would change Alabama's long-standing 6 percent alcohol limit for beer to 14.9 percent. That would permit the sale of what he calls "specialty" or "gourmet" beers.

"It's just one of those things that a city as sophisticated as Huntsville should have because we have such a cosmopolitan group of people coming in and out," he said.

A companion bill to Griffith's was introduced in the House by Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville.

Similar legislation failed in the 2006 legislative session, but Griffith said he isn't expecting major opposition this year.

Mmmmmm...beer! Needless to say, I wholeheartedly approve.

I do not, however, approve of Huntsville's state senator - the honorable Dr. Parker Griffith - who manages to come off as quite the uber-snoot when he talks about how Huntsvillians deserve better beer because they are so sophisticated and cosmopolitan. Give me a break. We're talking about beer, dude. Good beer, yes, but it's still just beer. Just vote for the bill and keep the whine to yourself.

Anyway, if you, too, would like for Alabama to Free the Hops, the Free the Hops web site has lots more info.