Drinking Beer in Charlotte

[HopHead]

4 hours ago, kermit said:

Nice, data-driven,  article on the slowing growth of the craft beer industry (not specific to Charlotte). Also a good bit of discussion on how the trends may not be all that relevant (beware of confirmation bias). http://www.thedrinkingclasses.com/outlook-craft-beer-2017/

I am not a doomsayer (I certainly don't think established micros are going anywhere), but I think we are all wondering when the breakneck expansion in Charlotte will need to end. If the industry is successful in raising NC's distribution cap I think life will get more difficult for the truly tiny guys (Nomad, Blaze...)  since it will be harder to get tap space at local places due to the wider (and cheaper?) availability of our "macro-micros" OMB, NoDa, Unknown, etc.

EDIT: In this context, WTF is up with Southern Tier / Victory? Sorry to behave like an impatient 9 year old, I really like Hopdevil.

I think it will certainly put more pressure on the smaller guys to can their beers. From what I recall, most breweries don't make a lot off being on tap at a restaurant/beer shop. It's mostly through their tap rooms and canning/bottling sales. 

[grodney]

A few things:

- For the first time that I've seen, Hyde (southend, across from Triple C) mentioned an open date, "this Summer", on the tweeters.

- Catawba said on the twitter machine that they'll announce an opening date very soon.

- HB500 (the ABC fixer bill) went in front of the ABC Committee today.  Arguments from both sides were heard, plus a bonus argument from some wack-job that was claiming if you raise the distribution cap, then underage drinking will increase.

- I've had 73 different CharMeck beers this calendar year!

- Updated map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zvfji2eVQoVE.kz5BFo-0quQ8

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2017 by grodney

[KJHburg]

Many of you may have been here already but I just wanted to tell you about my tour of the New Belgium Brewery in Asheville. Right on the river it was awesome. 90 minute free tour with 3 stops at bars inside the brewery for free samples. Plus there is the slide to get quickly on the first floor (this is optional but was fun too). If you have not already been here (been open since last May) plan a trip and make a free online reservation. Ashvegas is a great day trip from Charlotte. Plus they aren't call Beer City USA for nothing. the 170 employees love their jobs and all their perks like on your 5th year anniversary a weeks all expense paid trip to Belgium. 

[kermit]

Just in case you need another reason to hate macro beer (the distributors of macro beer actually) Goodbeerhunting has an interesting summation of the current debate about raising the self-distribution cap. http://goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2017/4/13/north-carolina-self-distribution-fight-becomes-more-taxing-than-ever

It appears that distributors have 'decided' that nearly 1/4 of North Carolina's brewers are attempting to evade paying the state excise tax on beer. The statistic is being used to argue that raising the distribution cap will only reward tax evading breweries. The article does a good job of explaining why the 'statistic' is BS, the biggest being that new brewers must report to tax authorities but do not owe any excise taxes before production begins.

Quote

For starters, the North Carolina Brewers Guild counters that “a full quarter” of the state’s breweries are less than a year old, and many might be permitted to manufacture but don’t actually yet make beer. Such breweries—those with permits that aren’t currently brewing—still have to report.

The insanity does not stop there. The article continues that wholesalers have purchased a new House Bill (HB480) which requires all self-distributing brewers to report their production stats to the ABC board rather than the Department of Revenue (as the current policy requires). The net result of this shift would be that the information will become part of the public domain -- this is generally not what the owner of a private business wants.

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by kermit

[grodney]

"...wholesalers have purchased a new House Bill..."

 

 

[kermit]

...and the CBJ story on the Wednesday vote on HB 500 features this nugget of Charlotte bashing:

Quote

“It’s an effort to award themselves a special privilege and an unfair edge in a highly-competitive beer business. They want to change the rules that helped make them successful in order to stack the deck in their favor. Make no mistake — this is a Charlotte-driven power play,” Kent [director of the Wholesalers association] wrote.

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/04/17/close-vote-likely-this-week-in-craft-beer-battle.html?ana=RSS%26s%3Darticle_search&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[HopHead]

7 minutes ago, kermit said:

...and the CBJ story on the Wednesday vote on HB 500 features this nugget of Charlotte bashing:

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/04/17/close-vote-likely-this-week-in-craft-beer-battle.html?ana=RSS%26s%3Darticle_search&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Shocking... Just shocking that they would get a Charlotte dig in there. 

[cjd5050]

On 4/17/2017 at 2:59 PM, HopHead said:

Shocking... Just shocking that they would get a Charlotte dig in there. 

Have to admit that while I fully support the raising of the self-distribution cap to 200,000 that sound bite about it being just 3 breweries looking to change the rule for their benefit stung.  They win the better line game for now.

I was also sad to hear the interview of John Marrino where he did not have as similar refined pitch.  He should have hammered home the job creation and economic impact that Olde Meck has had in less than 10 years.  He should have counted that while there are only 3 like Olde Meck now, not allowing the cap to go up to 200,000 would prevent 30 or 300 more just like Olde Meck.  

Simply put he should have said beer in NC can create thousands and thousands of high quality jobs in every city and town without costing the taxpayers a dime and the gains will be made mostly at the expense of international breweries not even located in the US, let alone North Carolina.   Would be hard for asshats like McGrady to spin that.  

Instead he just had a 'so what' type of answer.    

Edited April 19, 2017 by cjd5050

[InSouthPark]

He also should have said there are only 3 because the current laws prevented all the other current breweries of being in a similar situation.  You can't tell me Foothills, and Highland wouldn't have liked to take this route when they were starting up. They might be too big to self distribute now but that is not the point. 

[kermit]

The "free market republicans" have decided to keep the distribution cap at 25,000 barrels. Yay for allowing monopolistic middlemen to purchase protectionist legislation! 

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article145451619.html

If I were Marrino I would be busy shopping my brewery to the big guys.

Edited April 19, 2017 by kermit

[InSouthPark]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

The "free market republicans" have decided to keep the distribution cap at 25,000 barrels. Yay for allowing monopolistic middlemen to purchase protectionist legislation! 

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article145451619.html

If I were Marrino I would be busy shopping my brewery to the big guys.

Why? Do breweries that use a distributor not make $$$$?  This is moral fight. They aren't going to close up shop sell out because they didn't get their way. Selling out to the "man" would be the most immoral thing they could do.

[cjd5050]

1 hour ago, InSouthPark said:

Why? Do breweries that use a distributor not make $$$$?  This is moral fight. They aren't going to close up shop sell out because they didn't get their way. Selling out to the "man" would be the most immoral thing they could do.

Of course they will make money but it absolutely puts a cap on their opportunity.  It's an archaic rule that is not needed today.  Just like car dealers, these laws were created to solve problems that no longer exist.  Has nothing to do with a moral fight.  

 

 

[swh1972]

This is all about a handful of politicians getting paid by macro brewers to keep things the way they are - has nothing to do with party affiliation or geographic location of the breweries driving for the change or sophistication of messaging or PR. 

[kermit]

3 hours ago, swh1972 said:

This is all about a handful of politicians getting paid by macro brewers to keep things the way they are - has nothing to do with party affiliation or geographic location of the breweries driving for the change or sophistication of messaging or PR. 

You can keep telling yourself that but a foundational principle of the GOP is the primacy of free markets. If they are willing to sell that existential belief to the highest bidder then I would say the failure of this legislation says a great deal about the behavior and preferences of a particular party.

/political rant related to beer over/

Edited April 20, 2017 by kermit

[cjd5050]

4 hours ago, kermit said:

You can keep telling yourself that but a foundational principle of the GOP is the primacy of free markets. If they are willing to sell that existential belief to the highest bidder then I would say the failure of this legislation says a great deal about the behavior and preferences of a particular party.

/political rant related to beer over/

Because both parties act in accordance to foundational principles.  

[grodney]

This is a little odd.

As most of you know, NoDa used to have a beer sponsorship deal with the Knights to make A Knight's Ale, which was an IPA, and I believe only sold at the stadium and at the taproom.  This year, Birdsong has a sponsorship to make "All Knight Long", a (belgian) blonde.

Today, I'm going past French Quarter and on their board they have "Charlotte Knights Amber Pints - $3.50".  Having no idea what that is, I looked on untappd and saw some references as a "Red Lager" from NoDa Brewing.  I tweetered NoDa about it, and they said "Must be in reference to our Ramble on Red (Red Ale).  We don't have any beer specifically called "Red Lager."".

Not odd that an untapped entry would mis-identify an ale as a lager, I suppose.  But odd that French Quarter would have something branded as "Charlotte Knights Amber" (do the Knights know this?) and if it is indeed by NoDa, that NoDa wouldn't know exactly what it is.....in other words a response like "Oh, that's our Ramble On Red that they sell as Charlotte Knights Amber".  I mean that would have to be a full 3-way partnership deal for that to be legit.

Anyways.

 

[grodney]

Went to the Knights game Saturday night.  Had the Birdsong "All Knight Long".....good representation of a Belgian Blonde.  Also got charged $9.50 for a can of Jalapeno.  Still trying to decide if he was mistaken or not.  I questioned him and he said yep $8 last year but now $9.50.....but also said "Domestics are all $9.50" which of course craft never counts as domestic (and domestics come in 24oz cans).  So who knows. 

On the other side of stupid pricing, we went to East Blvd JJs before the game and they apparently do $3 Local Cans every Saturday.....including Hop Drop and Baby Maker.  Yow!

[HopHead]

^I've pretty much quit buying beers at games because I got tired of paying $10 for a $3-4 drink... I can probably count on one hand how many times I bought a beer at Hornets games this past season. And that's actually pretty telling considering how much they made you want to drink. 

[elrodvt]

^Now we know where all those mini liquor bottles in the bathroom come from. ;-)

[KJHburg]

Craft freedom bill maybe not be dead yet and some are trying to revive a revised bill possibly. http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/04/24/compromise-between-craft-brewers-distributors.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=scroll&ed=2017-04-24&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1493062552&j=78015531

[kermit]

2 hours ago, grodney said:

"Domestics are all $9.50"

Gezzus.

I am gonna start up my craft drone-delivery service at BBT field $5 per HDR. Franchise opportunities are available!

[InSouthPark]

19 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Craft freedom bill maybe not be dead yet and some are trying to revive a revised bill possibly. http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/04/24/compromise-between-craft-brewers-distributors.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=scroll&ed=2017-04-24&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1493062552&j=78015531

Not sure why the distributors would come to the table to negotiate though. I guess only if they fear a lawsuit would be successful and see their business potentially be gutted. Otherwise, they have bought and paid for the law to stay the same. Maybe the threat of a lawsuit will get them to sit down at the table.

[grodney]

Finally got some cans of Pacific Reign yesterday.  Mmmmmm, delicious.  Wish I had some Honey Pie to compare side-by-side.

Anyway, it's looking somewhat likely we'll have 3 new breweries opening in May.  Eleven Lakes (Cornelius) is looking really close, and they've been saying May.  Bold Missy (NoNoDa) has their Grand Opening set for May 13.....no word on whether they'll be "open" before that.  Catawba (PlaMi) said on the tweeters yesterday it will "most likely be one of the first weekends of May".

In other news, Divine Barrel (NoNoDa) finally started construction inside....by tearing up a bunch of concrete in the floor.

p.s. I assume you all saw that "Sweet Union" brewery will open on 74 just across the line into Union County this Saturday.  I don't track them since they're out of the county.

 

UP Opening Dates Pool

Eleven Lakes (expecting/probably/maybe May) -- Not included because I didn't know it existed.

 

Bold Missy (grand opening May 13):

3/23/2017    11 HouseBZ
3/27/2017    toz
4/12/2017    JT
4/17/2017    hambone931
5/3/2017    grodney
6/15/2017    Clayton
8/1/2017    Hornetshawk

 

Catawba (likely first couple weekends in May):

2/11/2017    Clayton
3/15/2017    JT
4/1/2017    toz
5/2/2017    11 HouseBZ
6/3/2017    grodney
7/1/2017    Hornetshawk
7/26/2017    hambone931

 

Divine Barrel (just started inside construction):

7/17/2017    11 HouseBZ
9/30/2017    JT
11/6/2017    hambone931
12/1/2017    toz
12/16/2017    grodney
12/20/2017    Clayton
not 2017    Hornetshawk
 

[InSouthPark]

I heard Bold Missy already had a soft opening on Saturday. Not sure if open daily yet or not. 

[Guest]

1700 South Blvd just got a demo permit for the small squat retail building. The big brick building is tied to American Beerworks, which is opening a Brewpub in Atlanta. FYI, the brewer... Mitch Steele... is from Stone Brewing, so that scool.

https://whatnowatlanta.com/mitch-steele-american-beerworks-team-to-open-beltline-brewpub/