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Alabama WTF? State’s beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info from buyers

August 8, 2016Keith Gribbins

sweet home alabama sign
When your governor is a ghoulish horndog that looks like Mr. Burns, this kind of shit happens.

Hey, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board: You’re kind of creeping us out, man. We just want to buy some beer, Mr. Board. Why do you need records of our names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth? Why, when I decide to buy a choice brewski directly from a local craft brewer at an off-premise event in Alabama, would I want that type of information being reported back to the state? It’s unsettling, watching you twirl that creepstash, thumbing through my personal info, doing who knows what with it.

If you don’t know: Alabama passed a bill in March allowing breweries that make less than 60,000 barrels (bbls) of beer per year to sell up to 288 ounces per customer a day for off-premise use. So, how will the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABCB) regulate that amount to each customer? The board is proposing that beer and spirit makers collect personal information, including the customer’s name, address, phone number, date of birth and (what else?) sexual preference. OK, not that last one, but you get the point: It’s invasive.

According to AL.com:

Dean Argo, government relations and communications manager for the ABC Board, would not respond to questions about why the proposal is up for consideration or how the consumer information would be used by the state.

“When the Legislature makes changes to law pertaining to spirits, the ABC Board must update, change or write new rules and regulations to ensure that the law is enforced adequately and correctly,” he told AL.com. “Those updates, changes, or new rules are drafted by staff and then submitted to the Board for consideration. The Alabama Administrative Procedures Act requires that the proposed rules must be advertised and public comment taken. Once the Board has reviewed and considered the public input, it can then decide whether the proposed rule should be adopted or changed. “

Free the Hops (FTH) has been loud in its opposition to the proposal. FTH is a grassroots, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote Alabama craft beer. President Nick Hudson posted his take last week in a piece called “Scary New Rule Proposed by ABC on Growler Sales.” We suggest you read it below:

The Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control Board is proposing a change to how they regulate beer sales at local breweries and brewpubs that would significantly infringe on the privacy of craft beer consumers. The proposed rule in question pertains to Alabama Administrative Code 20-X-9-.04, (1) (b) (3). It would mandate that all breweries and brewpubs who sell beer for off premise consumption (i.e., growlers, bottled or canned beer) keep record of the purchaser’s information including name, address, telephone number, date of birth, and drivers license number for every sales transaction. Even more concerning is that the ABC Board states that this information will be subject to their verification.

The implications of this should be highly concerning, not only to craft beer consumers, but to all people throughout the state. As nonsensical as it might seem, this rule would essentially empower the ABC Board to come to an individual’s house to confirm his or her purchase of a six pack of beer. One can’t help but ask, why? The members of Free the Hops fully oppose this proposed rule. It represents an unprecedented, unnecessary, and overreaching invasion of privacy. It is something that unfairly targets beer consumers, but also, frankly, has frightening implications for everyone.

There is a way to help stop this new proposal, you can mail a letter or send an email to the ABC Board Administrative Procedures Secretary. The email is [email protected] with the mailing address of

Alabama ABC Board
2715 Gunter Park Drive West
Montgomery, Alabama 36109

If you live in Alabama, we suggest you write the board right now before buying a beer becomes akin to this.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BeerPadawan says

    August 9, 2016 at 1:23 am

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Alabama WTF? Beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info @freethehops https://t.co/bAcWrH2AUs

    Log in to Reply
  2. cbcarmello says

    August 8, 2016 at 9:50 pm

    @CraftBrewingBiz @freethehops I’ve got the words. ABC can kiss my ass. Give me the fucking form… I’ll fill it out.

    Log in to Reply
  3. ryanthekeymaker says

    August 8, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    @CraftBrewingBiz @freethehops this is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in quite some time. What is wrong with these people?

    Log in to Reply
  4. ryanthekeymaker says

    August 8, 2016 at 8:54 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Alabama WTF? Beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info @freethehops https://t.co/bAcWrH2AUs

    Log in to Reply
  5. Scott Richards says

    August 8, 2016 at 8:52 pm

    Scott Richards liked this on Facebook.

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  6. Danny Danny says

    August 8, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    Oregon does similar when purchasing a keg of beer – They want to know Where the keg will be, what times people will be there drinking it, what car it will be transported in, etc…

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  7. SouthernParody says

    August 8, 2016 at 5:41 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Alabama WTF? Beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info @freethehops https://t.co/bAcWrH2AUs

    Log in to Reply
  8. bsrome says

    August 8, 2016 at 4:15 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Alabama WTF? Beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info @freethehops https://t.co/bAcWrH2AUs

    Log in to Reply
  9. SmartGuyInATie says

    August 8, 2016 at 3:07 pm

    Stop creeping, AL. @alabamagov bev ctrl board wants brewers to collect personal info https://t.co/S1oE8NMKWM #craftbeer via @CraftBrewingBiz

    Log in to Reply
  10. freethehops says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:49 pm

    @msbrewblog @CraftBrewingBiz I have no words for this.

    Log in to Reply
  11. Endurozw says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:40 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Alabama WTF? Beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info @freethehops https://t.co/bAcWrH2AUs

    Log in to Reply
  12. msbrewblog says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:38 pm

    @freethehops @CraftBrewingBiz Sadly no… https://t.co/aDs0PFhsIr

    Log in to Reply
  13. stuartjcarter says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:20 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Alabama WTF? Beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info @freethehops https://t.co/bAcWrH2AUs

    Log in to Reply
  14. freethehops says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    @msbrewblog @CraftBrewingBiz that’s got to be a joke right?

    Log in to Reply
  15. LVRGLLC says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    #CraftBeer #CraftBrewing #Beer #BeerBiz Alabama WTF? State’s beverage control board wants brewers to collect we… https://t.co/7Rb7nabui9

    Log in to Reply
  16. freethehops says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:18 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Alabama WTF? Beverage control board wants brewers to collect weird personal info @freethehops https://t.co/bAcWrH2AUs

    Log in to Reply
  17. John Wanner says

    August 8, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    John Wanner liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  18. wryan1618 says

    August 8, 2016 at 1:19 pm

    Alabama beverage control board wants brewers to collect personal info https://t.co/vcp3jPVg9z

    Log in to Reply
  19. msbrewblog says

    August 8, 2016 at 1:05 pm

    @CraftBrewingBiz Check out the personal info the AL ABC wants from you to attend this upcoming AL beerfest https://t.co/veIJe2rNKz

    Log in to Reply

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