The Revolution at the counter of a store

[Rev. Bobby Beerman]

Greetings one and all,

Hello to members and visitors alike. I must beg your forgiveness. This act is indeed selfish and local. I realize that this great society is international but I want to first change the local market. I can think about taking over the world – er… changing the global market after southern Illinois. However, if your local market suffers like Carbondale, IL then by all means start something going where you live.

Now, down to business. To the local Aleuminati and the almost 10,000 visitors from the Carbondale, IL area I say unto you it is time. It is time for us to enact a revolution at the counter of our favorite beer stores. It is time for the not so secret society of better beer drinkers to stand up and be counted. It is time we try to get things to change for the better.

As we all know the packaged beer market in southern Illinois is hurting. All to often I found myself going to a store with a particular beer in mind only to find it not available or not available any more. I then choose to get something they have in stock and try to enjoy that. Now, don’t get me wrong, what I get is OK but it isn’t what I had intended to get in the first place. But still, all too often I – we – make due with what they have on hand. This is a bad thing. If we are to ever have good beer here, then we must recognize and utilize one of the basic principals of economics: supply and demand. Every time we go into a store to buy beer we should let them know that we want good beer. Have a particular been in mind and ask if they have it and, if they don’t, ask if they can order it. We need to let them know there is a demand for good beer in southern Illinois. If there were demand then (hopefully) they would supply. If we do not voice our opinion – our beliefs, our desires – then they will never know about the demand and never start supplying and all that good beer is consumed by someone else.

Remember the immortal words of Ben Franklin, “Beer is proof that God exists and wants us to be happy.” We deserve to be happy. We deserve good beer and we deserve to be able to get it easily. Let our voices join as one and echo, “We want good beer!”

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Ommegang is available here, so it was a case where the particular retailer (Illinois Liquor Mart) didn't want to go to the effort to order it ... sad. For what its worth, Bobby, I have found the Illinois Liquor Mart stores to be the least cooperative local retailer, so I can't say I'm surprised. Pinch Penny Liquors carries several of the Ommegang beers - Witte, Hennepin, Rare Vos and their namesake ale to name a few. I've not come across the more obscure brews like Chocolate Indulgence or Ommegeddon, though. I'd be willing to wager they could order 'em for you ... just don't try to get 'em through ILM. Pick's Liquors is generally pretty helpful too and will at least try to get what you want. As I said before, I'd encourage you to actually write out a list of beers and have these retailers see what they can do to get them. If they're not willing to stock them for the general public, at least you could special order a case of something you really like ...

As far as the Illinois beer distribution laws are concerned, I don't have time to go into the dirty details, but suffice to say that the "big boys," particularly A-B, have enjoyed a longstanding stranglehold on this market. See this article for a little more detail. A recent development looks to loosen this hold just a bit, but its too early to tell what the real impact will be in terms of actual bottles on shelves. All of this mess is what led to Larry Bell pulling his fine beers from the state as well. If you care to read about that debacle, I documented it right here back when it happened.

Hopefully, retailers will have access to a wider range of beers ... even beers not directly affiliated with, or produced by, A-B or Miller-Coors. Hopefully.

I'm with Rob on this one, Bobby ... post a list of the beers, in particular, you'd like to see available in the 'Dale. I might be able to tell you which ones are out of the question and which ones you might be able to obtain. At the very least, we can pare down your list to one that you stand a good chance of getting some results from. Like I said before, I don't have a lot of pull but I do know a lot of the people who do ... we'll get to the bottom of your beer befuzzlement!

[William Brand]

A list is a good idea. Maybe we should start a new topic: Bottom line, what beers should a decent store stock. Would vary by region, of course. But that might be a handy talking point when we go into a store.

[Rev. Bobby Beerman]

The fates conspire against us. I headed over to Pinch this evening and was informed that they were out of everything Ommegang and they didn’t think they could get it any more. Breaks the heart. Although there is a glimmer of hope. It was suggested that I come back during the day and try talking to a guy then. It is rumored that he can order almost anything. I work in Marion until 3:30pm so I might be able to make it.

The good thing is that I am headed up to St. Louis on Saturday to go to the Chinese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. The wife has already mentioned a little side trip for me to go shopping.

I see about getting a list together. The thing is that I know what I like and there are things I’d like to try but I don’t know all of them. I guess I’ll have to try to get what I like to be here, continue to do my road trip philosophy when I travel, and make trips to other cities where I can get other stuff. It just burns me that Wood River can have places like Corral and the ‘Dale doesn’t have that big of a selection.

However, I will not back down. I am going to continue in my efforts. My voice will be heard. The revolution continues.

[William Brand]

A mom and pop in West Marin? The mind boggles. Here in Oakland, I only know of a half dozen places with either: BevMo, Montclair Wine & Spirits, the Safeway on College in Rockridge. But Mom and Pos stocking Three Philosophers. Not here. Not in San Francisco either. Maybe I need to move, huh.

[Rob DeNunzio]

Something tells me this thread is going to quickly deteriorate into a series of photographs of the beer shelves at local marts in all our hometowns...

Which could be kinda funny, actually.

And I have to disagree yet again on the San Francisco thing - I was *introduced* to Ommegang via a corner store that could care less about catering to beer snobs. I still think we're spoiled out here, comparatively. They just had it next to the Chimays. Totally spoiled.