Snoop Dogg Lawsuit Against Pabst Beer Will Move to Trial

If you’ve heard about Snoop Dogg’s lawsuit against Pabst, you better believe it’s fo’ rizzle. The case has been ongoing but has now officially received the ‘OK’ to move to trial. Snoop Dogg worked for Pabst as a brand ambassador for Blast by Colt 45. Under his contract, if the company was sold before January 2016, Snoop was supposed to get paid. Pabst was sold to Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings, LLC in 2014, but Snoop was not included in a pay out. Pabst’s argument is that although Pabst stock was sold off, Colt 45 is still owned by Pabst. Clearly, Snoop was not pleased. The trial is set to begin in October. [Read full article]

SQ 792 Could Modernize Alcohol Laws in Oklahoma

Residents of Oklahoma will get the chance this November to vote on full-strength beer and wine in grocery stores. Proponents of State Question 792 believe it will help modernize OK’s laws surrounding alcoholic beverages and will foster the free-market principles the state is trying to uphold. SQ 792 has already been endorsed by the Craft Brewers Association of Oklahoma. Patrick Gaines, a representative from the organization, said, “Our group of 12 commercial craft brewers believes the time has come for the responsible reforms in State Question 792. Voting Yes on 792 is about making certain award-winning entrepreneurs like craft brewers keep their talents and their businesses in Oklahoma. SQ 792 will help businesses grow and invest in the state, creating new jobs for Oklahomans.” To find out more about the piece of legislation, visit Yeson92.com. [Read full article]

Michigan Lawmakers Propose Bill to Raise Tax on Beer

Lawmakers in Michigan have proposed an increased tax on beer. The tax, which has not been raised in 50 years, would go up by 5 cents per can. This doesn’t sound too bad, until you look at it from an amount-per-barrel perspective. The current tax-per-barrel is $6.30. It would go up to $21.70, should this piece of legislation pass. Representative Thomas Hooker, who proposed the legislation, believes the extra 5 cents will deter young people from binge-drinking. Yeah….right. Hooker also says if the tax is increased, the estimated $103 million revenue from the tax would go to support alcohol prevention programs throughout the state. Scott Graham, executive director of the Michigan Brewers Guild responded, “It would slow down growth and be a hardship on businesses. We’ve got something that’s been great for Michigan’s economy and now (Hooker) wants to heavily tax it.”

The bill must pass through the House Committee on Regulatory Reform before it gets any closer to becoming a reality. [Read full article]

It’s Shocking How Much a Beer Costs at Oktoberfest This Year

If you’re headed to Munich for Oktoberfest, you better have a pocket full of cash. Beer prices this year have skyrocketed to €10.54, or about $12 each. Keep in mind that this covers an entire stein worth of beer (~1 liter), but it is still pricey. To put it in perspective, a bottle of comparable beer at the grocery store in Germany costs less than $1. Food prices as the festival have also risen. Nevertheless, over 6 million people are still expected to attend. [Read full article] 

Rhode Island Loosens Reins on Microbreweries

I honestly forgot that Rhode Island existed, but I have good news for breweries and beer drinkers in the smallest state in the country. Governor Gina Raimondo attended the ceremonial signing of a law that allows for on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages at breweries, distilleries, and wineries. The identical House and Senate passed bills were officially approved on June 28. However, they weren’t signed until last week when the Governor attended the ceremony at Ravenous Brewing Company. The bills also allow for the sale of a limited amount of alcohol for off-premise consumption. These changes should allow breweries in the state to greatly increase their profits, and hopefully expand business in the near future. [Read full article]