http://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/sce...5633-9f1f-9bddf722bb0a.html#user-comment-area Another score for the good guys.
Interesting, I'll have to ask a couple of my buddies that work at the capitol about whether or not they think there's any chance of this going to conference this session.
Not holding my breath. I can't wait to see the fear tactic commercials that will be unleashed when this comes up for a public vote I would hope this would pass easily, but in my neck of the woods, doubtful...
When it comes to state questions it's all about educating the public. I worry about that and the verbiage used on the ballot. I didn't realize when it was first introduced that SB383 would require vote of the public. Hopefully those voters that don't know what it's all about will just vote yes because "it's just beer and beer is beer."
It didn't as introduced. It was dramatically changed thanks to the efforts of Trader Joes/ people who want the bill to die. Originally, SB383 didn't have many opponents. By bringing grocery stores into the mix, it pits Liquor store owners (who have owned a monopoly on the sale of high-point beer) against c-store owners and grocery store owners. So, like so many of Oklahoma's politics, this fight really won't have much input from the people.
Yeah, I knew the deep pockets would smell that smoke. Guess we'll see what happens. I know my liquor store owner around the corner does not want it to pass. She does not want to deal with the cost of refrigeration because it will surpass the tiny profit margin of the beer. If that's true then I don't blame her, but she's got a shit load of old IPAs that she says no body likes. I said, "Well they were good fresh, but a 90 day old IPA has lost its luster and a 120 day old IPA is likely getting nasty. They degrade faster without the fridge. Sorry, but I buy most of my IPAs in KS from the refrigerators for that reason." She no like me no more.
We'll see how this all pans out. Based on the way political ads are marketed in this state. I can see the Holly Rollers weighing in big time. I will make sure my vote cancels at least one of theirs out...
I think the liquor store's argument is a little "fear monger-ish." There's plenty of liquor stores and specialty stores in Texas that do just fine with refrigeration co-existing in grocery stores and c-stores as well. There's going to be an initial "hit" in purchasing a fridge but they'll easily recoup it in macro sales. I imagine liquor stores lose quite a bit of business from not selling cold 3.2 beer.
OK Liquor stores now have regular (full strength) macro beer and I imagine those guys would prefer it be cold and ready to drink.
It's a small market here & no buying power for most of these stores, no chains so to speak of. Margins are probably not a good as you'd think they be. Craft beer is bloody pricey up here. I live 8 miles from the Missouri border. You can imagine how much revenue this state is losing out around here. Beer is about 1-$2 a sixer cheaper, way better selection, coldd full strength beer & my kids get suckers & popcorn there. Here, every one goes to jail if my kid follows me in... (more or less)... Now I see there may be a big box angle, all the mom & pops will fight this, can't blame them...
I don't think it's that bad. I would venture to suspect you pay a premium because of your location (Miami?), not simply because Oklahoma forces stores to charge more. However, I do know the process of getting a beer into Oklahoma is arduous. In Tulsa/ OKC, you can get good craft beer for a very reasonable price. Prairie aside, there's a lot of affordable craft beer available in Oklahoma. Elk Valley Pale Ale is probably one of the top 3 beers in the state and it's very affordable.
I shop in Tulsa all the time, Missouri still smokes their prices. You can add a buck or two to any beer per sixer I get in Grove & odds are it's old. Miami, I've only been to one store, that had minimal selection, but this was years ago. I go in my local store about once every 4 months, I think their prices are set to soak people coming to the lake for the weekend... Yeah, I like Elk valley's pricing. Some other brewers have lost their minds; charging BCBS for beer that isn't even close in quality. I am mostly one & done with most other brewers Marshall & Coop would be the other solid exceptions ). Elk Valley has really impressed me to be sure...
Just read an OP-ED piece from the Tulsa World ( Sunday ) stating this was polling very favorably for passage across the state even in the rural areas. It was penned by some talking head from Quick Trip, so they do have a dog in the hunt. It does blow my mind how much of the water down swill (3.2 beer) moves in this state...
Yes, Missouri does beat any of the prices in Oklahoma by a few dollars. However, I've been seeing a lot of old IPAs that were refrigerated the last couple times I was in Springfield, MO. Most notably though was 3.5 month old FW Double Jack and even more shocking, since I was at a Brown Derby 2 miles from the brewery, was 2.5 month old Mother's Lil' Helper. Elk Valley seems to have a solid plan in place in terms of production and pricing, and if they'd up the quality, on a couple of their beers, just a bit they'd blow COOP, Marshall, Choc, etc. out of the water. COOP seems to be doing rather well though with their Spare Rib, Briefcase Brown and Negative Split from what I can tell anyway.
I've yet to see any of those junior sized beers from Coop, just don't go in the right stores. Yeah you got to look around, I won't buy any hoppy beer from Schlaflys once its over a month old. I will buy 3 month old Fresh Squeezed it still blows 90% of IPAs out of the water for me. Brown Derby does have some oldish beers sometimes. Elk Valley is now selling in Arnkasas, glad to see them branching out...
The Brown Derby International Wine Center on Glenstone is the one you want. It's the only place I go to in Springfield. I've never encountered beer suffering from old age there. First time I went, the Makers Mark rep was there handing out samples...hell yeah! Plus, they let me buy 4 instead of the 2 bottle limit of KBS when I told them I needed two more for my buddy who had been in the hospital back home. Very cool place. The beer in MO is about the cheapest I've ever seen anywhere.
That's the one I always go to. Go to the meat counter to get some salami and then go on a hunt for beer. I think they still do tastings every Friday starting around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, but it's been a while since I was there on a Friday and they started serving lunch a while back too.
