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Alabama governor approves stronger beer
By PHILLIP RAWLS Associated Press Writer
Published: Friday, May 22, 2009 at 4:03 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 22, 2009 at 4:03 p.m.
Alabama has a new law allowing stronger beer to be sold in the state, which means previously banned specialty and imported beers can soon begin appearing in restaurants, bars and some retail stores.
Gov. Bob Riley said he signed the bill Friday to immediately raise the alcohol limit on beer from 6 percent to 13.9 percent by volume. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville, won legislative approval last week.
Bob Hill, attorney for the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, said new beers should start showing up this summer. Brewers will have to line up distributors and register with the ABC Board before sales can begin.
Free the Hops, a grass-roots organization of more than 1,300, had worked to increase the limit to allow specialty and gourmet beers with higher alcohol levels to be sold in the state.
“We’ve been working this for over four years,” President Stuart Carter of Birmingham said Friday. “I’m shellshocked from hearing the news.”
The Rev. Joe Godfrey, executive director of the church-funded Alabama Citizen Action Project, had fought the legislation and was disappointed by Riley’s signature.
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