Have another stiff one Guvnuh
I’ve been involved in several conversations about the ABV limit in Montana since I moved here. Lately, though, I’ve been searching my own soul for the right answer to this problem that limits Montana craft breweries. I recently heard Gov. Schweitzer talk about how he supports Montana’s tavern owners in their pursuit of monopolistic watering-hole dominion. OK, he didn’t come out and say it in so many words, but he was interested in protecting the TOs right to keep their high-value liquor licenses safe from the hands of regular entrepreneurs eager to provide a complete dining experience without leveraging their first born.
Here’s where I sort of differ from the guvnuh of Montana.
There exists a drinking problem in Montana. I’ll never deny that. As a father of three and the husband of a wife whose father likely killed himself with drink, I’m sensitive to the issue of over indulgence.
However, I don’t agree with the neo-prohibitionist approach to the problem. The last time alcohol was banned it created a liquor-based crime syndicate that still exists today. That’s no way to curb problem drinking.
Since moving to this wonderful state I’ve realized the advantages of the tap room system.
Take a typical Saturday afternoon for instance. I can walk into any one of the tap rooms in town with my three children in tow. We’ll belly up to the bar and order three micro-brewed rootbeers and a pint of something a little more brewed for dad. We enjoy our beverages and chat about whatever comes to mind. The bar tenders tussle the childrens’ hair as they walk by and endure the children screeching their names incessantly when their micro-sized pint glasses are empty.
I drink a beer and catch up with friends, spend some time with the kids and – and this is a big and – my kids see drinking in a different light than a lot of kids do. This vision of beer is quite a bit different from the tavern-visiting father who comes home smelling of cigarettes and liquor and in a foul mood.
It might not be fair to the taverns to paint that picture, but I do so because there is a big difference between the appreciation of beer and or wine and or liquor as a part of the culture and alcohol as a socially acceptable drug capable of completely destroying lives.
Taverns are not responsible for this behavior, but their cold, smoke-filled interiors are no place for a child to learn about drinking responsibly, culturally and socially. (That’s why they’re not allowed in) Therefore it is imperative that tap rooms not only gain the rights of other businesses in this state, but that the state encourage their growth. Only ingraining responsible drinking habits in young people will curb the drinking problem in this state and elsewhere.
The opposite only will result in many senseless deaths, and, quite possibly, the Montana version of the Chicago mafia.
Prost,
GG
Teaching our youth responsible drinking is a big part of why I agree with Lew that we need to lower the drinking age to 18 http://www.lewbryson.com/legalat18.htm That gives dads some time to pass on the appreciation of beer before college.
I wish more BrewPubs and beer bars served hand crafted soda as well, my preggers wife would feel less left out
It is simple protectionism on the part of tavern owners. I don’t blame them for trying to protect the value of a license they paid a lot of money for. The reality is that almost any business is naturally going to prefer less competition and do what they can to preserve the value of assets.
Unfortunately, many will resort to the black art of politics to prevent harder working, more creative and talented people from challenging them in the marketplace (not specifically referring to tavern owners here–don’t want to get shot by my bartender who works damned hard). The problem with the situation we have in Montana is that the consumer’s best interests don’t have any influence on the policy discussion when it comes to brewpubs. Most consumers don’t know how the system works so they just gripe about “Why doesn’t anybody open a brewpub around here?” The only way to change that is by consumers (us) spreading the word and bugging the heck out of our local politicians to get these laws changed.
If you don’t like the current system and you haven’t asked your state legislator to change it, you have no one to blame but yourself.
BTW – Monday April 7th is the 75th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition. I can’t think of a better date to launch the campaign.
The state regulates and creates revenue through this lottery distributed license. Does the state benefit? Do the people of Montana benefit?
Since when does a regulatory and revenue instrument issued by the state become a profit tool for private individuals and businesses? Who benefits?
Is Montana known as a state of liberty, freedom, and free market? Not with these restrictive business practices. I am sensitive to those that already have capital invested in these licenses, but sorry, a state issued instrument should never have been allowed to make profit for a few people protecting their own interests. Maybe this is the new America, but it is not what America was founded on. Free market and opportunity. Competition. That is what Montana should stand up for.
Get rid of the lottery. Let anyone or any business jumping over the proper regulatory hurdles have a license. Get rid of the restricted supply and see how long this artificial market takes to collapse. Watch how new local (and others) open up new venues and compete openly for customers.
Remember the spirit of Sam Adams. Both the brewery and the guy. Both risked everything to bring us freedom. Sam Adams (the guy) risked his life, Jim Koch (the brewery founder) risked everything he owned. Montana could do a lot better in preserving the ideals that made this country great–at least when it comes to beer laws.