The Revolution at the counter of a store

[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!”

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Virgil G]

This is a GREAT ARTICLE on beer distribution in Illinois.

It's based out of chicago, so it doesn't really address the rest of us down-staters.

A major part of the problem of Illinois beer distribution IS Chicago, which the article only has the Chicago bias. What isn't mentioned is if you go to a Chicago liquor store, you will find Great Lakes, Three Floyds, Dogfish Head and several other great breweries stuff, and you won't just find the flagship beers, you will be able to get bottles of dreadnaught, packs of blackout stout, and Palo Santo Marron.

Illinois has 2 major problems.

The first is over in saint louis and their strangle hold on the dristributors. Like the beer philosopher said before, the AB distributors are limited in the amount of craft (or non-sell out) beers. There are only a few major distributors south of chicago. One carries the bud products, the other carries the miller stuff. Then there is specialty.

Illinois' second problem is Chicago. The beer distributors in illinois have a choice. They can either take their craft beer to chicago where it will probably sell; or they can take it downstate (where there is no guarantee). Most of the craft beer in illinois winds up at liquor stores in and around chicago. Check out this place's beer list Archer Liquors . Geez, they've got Southern tier up there, when do you think that will make it downstate? They've got dogfish head 120 IN STOCK. My local beer mart didn't even get a case.

So Illinois problem is two fold. AB and Chicago.

If you want to get beer, you'll first have to find out what beer ISN'T available in Illinois whatsoever. Then you'll have to hope that your local distributor and store is willing to take the risk to get a case of something out of chicago and into the rest of the state.

Your best bet for great beer is a road trip. St. Louis does have the big monster to deal with, but they are the big city so more beer winds up there (and you can get bells). Indy is a big city and has some great liquor stores with most of the not available in illinois beers too (like stone).

As for getting good stuff into your store, it doesn't hurt to ask. And threatening to take your business elsewhere is always a good tactic. Especially if you make a scene.

[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.