Mugs of Beer

When Government Figures Out The Huge Industry of Alcohol

CBS News

(AP)  HARRISON, Ark. — Dee Gusewelle used to rail against the sale of alcohol, posting signs in her yard and encouraging neighbors and passersby to keep booze out of this patch of northern Arkansas.

But now that her county has dumped its ban on the sale of alcohol, she and her husband are doing something that would have been unthinkable — and illegal — just months ago: opening a liquor store.

“It’s not like it’s going to be Sodom and Gomorrah,” Gusewelle said as customers lined up to buy beer at the gas station where she worked this summer.

For years, cities and counties across the South have been quietly throwing out Prohibition-era laws banning the sale of alcohol. But as local governments confront ever-greater budget problems, many are now tapping into booze as a source of untouched income. That means towns where preachers once condemned “demon rum” are now counting on six-packs and cheap wine to make up for declining revenue.

“It’s the same thing with the lottery,” Gusewelle said. “People didn’t want that. But then I see avid churchgoers that come in on Sundays and buy their lottery tickets.”

In Harrison, a city of 13,000 tucked between tourist attractions in the Ozark Mountains, stores began stocking beer and wine earlier this year. Liquor stores are slated to open in the coming months.

The city hopes to collect up to $200,000 a year from alcohol-related sales taxes and fees once spirits hit the shelves. That will account for about 1 percent of the total annual budget.

Local officials say the availability of alcohol encourages visitors to stay longer — or at least long enough to polish off a beer. Lodging is up 25 percent so far this year compared with the same period in 2010, when voters approved a measure to shift the county from “dry” to “wet.”

When the area was dry, many tourists cruising along the region’s curvy highways kept driving after realizing they couldn’t wash down a rack of ribs with a cold brew.

Now convenience stores peddle lagers and ales, and a former feed store sells wine in flavors and colors that sound as if they belong in a bag of Skittles — wild cherry, sunshine pink, blue Hawaiian. Officials hope the change will also attract chain restaurants and other companies that typically avoid investing in dry counties.

“We’re a pretty poor county, and we just can’t afford to say we don’t want anyone’s business,” said Gerald Ragland, the city’s finance director.

But for years, they did just that. Anyone craving a cold beer or a glass of wine in Boone County had to cross the county line or head north to Missouri, where liquor laws are less restrictive.

After Prohibition ended in 1933, dry laws popped up in counties and municipalities across the nation. Like the laws they replaced, the restrictions controlled the sale of alcohol, not consumption.

“People are going to drink regardless,” Antone Zeller said before buying a 30-pack of Keystone Ice at the Harrison convenience store where Gusewelle worked. “It doesn’t matter how far you’ve got to go to get it. So you might as well just get it here and keep our money here.”

Zeller didn’t know what a dry county was when he moved here from Shreveport, La., about 15 years ago. But he quickly learned. For him, it meant a long drive to stock up on booze. And while he was out of the county, Zeller would often spend money on other things.

“We’d eat. We’d buy gas,” he said. “But now for the most part, all my money stays here.”

Some people who fought to keep the county dry say easier access to alcohol fuels underage drinking and raises crimes rates.

“Tax revenue doesn’t make up for loss of quality of life,” said Ralph Hudson, a real estate broker in Harrison who sought to keep the county dry, just as it had been for more than half a century.

Others share his beliefs and post them on church signs here. One, across the road from McDonald’s, told people that Jesus, not Budweiser, is the “light.”

But supporters of the change say forbidding alcohol did little to prevent problems — and sometimes contributed to them.

For instance, Zeller said, when he had to drive elsewhere to buy booze, he often bought in bulk.

“Normally, it actually worked out bad because I would drink more,” he said.

Fears that alcohol would overtake the community didn’t materialize, either.

“They thought there was going to be a bar on every corner,” said Terry Cook, who runs the visitors bureau. “But there’s not.”

There were alcohol-related arrests long before the county permitted alcohol sales, and there hasn’t been a spike since the law changed.

“Nobody’s drinking any more than they did, but they’re driving a lot less now,” Ragland said.

Elsewhere across the South, counties and towns that permitted limited alcohol sales are easing their laws, too, often dispensing with rules that prohibited sales on Sunday.

In Texas, 418 out of 542 ballot questions on alcohol sales have gone wet since 2004, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, a trade group. And more alcohol issues are likely to appear on ballots this fall.

Besides addressing economic needs, the shift in liquor laws mirrors a change in consumer demographics since Prohibition.

“In today’s economy, consumers are out shopping on Sundays,” said Ben Jenkins, a council spokesman. “It’s inconvenient to have to drive to a different county to buy alcohol.”

Making Collectible Beer Steins

This is magic what this guy does.  Anyone can learn this though.  Thought I’d share.

If you have an awesome beer art to share, join us at the Pub for Beer Enthusiasts, Beertaps.com Pub.

Interesting Collection of Beer Signs

This is an awesome beer sign collection.  Thought I’d share.

If you have a collection you’d like to share, join us at the Pub for Beer Enthusiasts, Beertaps.com Pub.

Beer and Home Brewing Q & A’s

Running beertaps.com has been an interesting ride that was more involved than I thought it would be.  But, it has been fun.  Each new challenge has presented an interesting and useful solution.

For instance, when I was asked about the kegerator a customer just purchased, I realized that there probably are more people out there who have the same questions.  So, I wrote a report and published it on the site.  Then, I wrote an article to let everyone know that I wrote the report.

That’s about the time the second question came in about keeping beer lines clean.  Then, about home brew recipes.  So, I kept writing reports to help people and I kept writing articles to make people more aware.

It started out as a big gaggle of reports that I finally organized into a Learning Center that is now populated with great stuff.  From Home Brew Tips and Tricks to DIY Home Bar Projects, I keep adding to the learning center.  But, I’m always willing to hear what you want to know.  I have a form for questions at http://www.beertaps.com/contact.html

But, the recent interactive is the forum I created.  It’s easier than a report to write a simple answer.  Some answers aren’t as involved as putting an entire article together with pictures and everything.  So, I populated the forum with a few items.  But, it’s new.

I’d love to see some people on there soon.  Start some topics and get some feedback.  How else do you expect a forum to get started?

http://brewdrinker.com/thepub/

Hope to see you there!

DIY – Put Your Beer Mug Up To Any Of These Unique Beer Tap Ideas

Wall Tap Ideas

DIY Project – Put Your Beer Mugs Up

Putting a bar in your home can be so easy if you are willing to be creative. You might want to hire a contractor and spend tons of money. But, you can do it yourself if you just form a plan and then figure out the best way to put it together.

The back of your bar can be as easy as installing shelves that reach the ceiling on both sides. Place a mirror in the middle and hang a television. Now, you have a sports bar look that makes you feel like you are in a real sports bar. But, that was easy. Here are a few ideas you may not have thought could be so easy.

The next thing you might want to add to your home bar is the glass holder that hangs above the bar. You’d be surprised how easy it is to make one. You need wood slats that form the base of your frame. The perfect size wood slat for this part of the glass holder is about 2 in. X 2 in. Then, you need wood slats to serve as the holder for the different types of stemware you have. But, this part is actually the teamwork of two different sized slats. One is about 2 in. X 1/8 in. and the other is 1/4 in. X 1/4 in.

The best way to attach these slats is with a handful of nice looking, gold nails. Run 2 in. X 2 in. slats horizontally spaced as far as a foot between. But, it’s a little classier if you place them about 4 inches from each other. Vertically, you will run your 2 in. X 1/8 in. slats about an inch apart. But, make sure to place a 1/4 in. X 1/4 in. slat under each one. Drive a nail through the 2 in. X 1/8 in. slat and the 1/4 in. X 1/4 in. slat where each 2 in. X 2 in. slat sits. That way, you’ll create a nice ledge where you can hang your stemware. Attach your glass holder to the ceiling with hooks and chains. You’ve got a great look that has functionality.

For glasses with handles like mugs and coffee cups, create a wood slab where you can screw golden hooks into and use them as hangers. You can stack all other types of glasses or you can create another wood slab with clamp-like holders directed upward. If you can’t find the clamps at a hardware store, you can take the time and make them yourself using a sheet of metal. The gauge shouldn’t be too thick but strong enough not to bend to the weight of the glass.

Cut your metal using metal cutting shears in 4 in. segments. Drill a hole through the metal and into the wood slab you have ready for hanging in your bar. Then, screw the metal clamps to the wood slab and begin hanging all the glasses you have left.

Now, every glass in your bar is off the counter. Watch television or enjoy looking at yourself in the mirror. But, you’ll have plenty of counter space for other things like liquor dispensers and pretzels.

The Many Types of Beer to Choose From

So what do the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and modern-day fanatical football fans have in common? Why, they all love to drink beer of course!

Beer is the oldest recorded alcoholic beverage in history, with origins dating back to ancient times, even as far back as ancient Egypt. Beer has been the drink of choice of many people, for a very long time.

So what exactly is beer and how is it made? Beer is basically an alcoholic beverage made from fermented starches. It main ingredients consist of water, malted barley (or other starch sources like wheat, cassava, etc.), hops, and yeast. They are then fermented through a process called brewing. After brewing the beer is ready to be consumed, though further processes like aging and carbonation can be practiced to improve the taste and quality.

Throughout the years, many different types of beer have been created around the world. These types of beers can vary in things like flavor, color and aroma. Various different cultures have invented their own distinct take on this famous beverage.

Beer is generally classified into two types or styles based on the yeast used for fermentation. These two types are ales, which uses top-fermenting yeast, and lagers which are brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast. These yeast give the beer their own unique characteristics, which can affect how the beer looks and tastes.

Ales along with using top-fermenting yeast, are fermented at a warmer temperature than lagers. They’re fermented at about 15 to 23 C, 60 to 75 F and usually take a shorter amount of time to ferment. Ales tend to have a stronger more pronounced taste as well as a fuller body. Ales can also have a somewhat nutty or fruity taste that are the result of the warmer fermentation temperatures.

Some common varieties of ales include:

Pale ale – Pales ales are ales that use pale malts, usually barley. They all tend to have similar characteristics, such as a strong hop taste and low to medium malt levels, though many countries have their own versions of pale ale like the English Bitter, Saison, and India Pale Ale each with their own slight variations.

Porter- A porter is a dark ale ranging from dark brown to black in color. It was originally created in the 1700′s in Britain. A combination of three different kinds of ale, it was very popular among the porters of old London, hence the name. It was made from roasted malt barley giving it a rich aroma and full body.

Stout- Stout is a dark ale derived from porter. Like a porter it has a very dark coloring. This results from roasting the malted barley, used for brewing, until black. Irish dry stout like Guinness or Murphy’s are known for their bitter, roasted taste. The ale’s black color topped with distinctive creamy head gives it it’s nickname the “priest’s collar” and goes well with oysters.

The other type of beer are lagers. The word lager is derived from a German word “lagern”. “Lagern” translated means “to store” and alludes to a time when brewers used to store beer in caves to ferment in cooler temperature.

Lagers are made with bottom-fermenting yeast at temperatures ranging from 8 to15 degrees C or 46 to 59 degrees F. At these cooler temperatures, the beer will generally take a longer time to ferment. Lagers are known generally be lighter in color than ales. They also have a distinctively clean and crisp taste that makes them very popular to the masses. They also tend to have a lower alcohol content than ales and are best served cold.

Some beers categorized as lagers are:

Pilsner- Considered the most popular type of beer in the world. Pilsners are generally light yellow to golden in color and usually well balanced in flavor, with a clean, crisp taste.

American style lagers- The common, mass produced type of beer in America is a type of pilsen. Light in color and flavor, it is also high in carbonation.

Bock- Bock is a dark lager originating from Germany. It’s high in alcohol and malt making it a strong, full-bodied beer.

There are many more kinds of beers, each with their own distinct style and taste. There are enough choices to satisfy just about anyone’s taste.

Beer has been around since even before people could write! With so many kinds of beer to choice from, and even more being invented all the time, there is no doubt that beer will be here to stay.

About the Author
Lee Dobbins writes for http://beer-making.leisure-webzone.com where you can learn more about beer making procedures and supplies.

Article source:
The Many Types of Beer to Choose From

The History Of American Home Brewing

Over the years, American home brewing has changed with the times. It used to be illegal to brew beer at home, then America was the top producer of beer worldwide, and now the recession has hit hard forcing many companies to shut shop. Now we all know as times get tough, people turn to the bottle for comfort… but the brutality off the recession has forced many people to reconsider their chosen drinking hole and replace it with a rewarding and extremely tasty hobby that goes by the name of “home beer brewing”.

Over time there has been lot’s of change in the American Home Brewing scene. Once upon a time, greats such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington participated in brewing their own beer… and they absolutely loved it! Through their guidance, many people were passionate about making their own beer at home.

However, there was a time of prohibition that was devastating to the American population. Prohibition meant that it was illegal to brew your own beer, and heavy fines where placed on people who broke this law… and what a shame that was… some people even went to prison for having a home brewery! Can you imagine a life without beer? Unfortunately the American people had to suffice and deal with prohibition. This then led to shop owners renaming all equipment so it couldn’t be associated with running home brewery and started selling it on the sly to hardcore supporters of brewing beer at home. This was quiet easy because the equipment is fairly standard, including buckets, hosing, pots, pans, and other tidbits. The only problem that did arise was a lack off ingredients, so any beer that was brewed tasted the same, no variation, just BEER! This didn’t stop people from brewing their own beer, but it was frowned upon, and there were serious legal reprocutions if you were caught… this kept the sapping and selling of home brewed to a minimum, with people happy to keep brewing for personal consumption only.

In 1935, the law was improvised a bit. Home wine making was allowed without taxes but to brew beer, the interested party must first secure permits and comply with regulations. But despite the heavy regulations, some beer advocates pooled their efforts to promote home brewing. One of the greats in the field, Charlie Papazian first entered the scenario during this time and taught home brewing classes. However, government maintained that unregulated home brewing was still unlawful as any type of brewing could still be employed by moonshiners.

But thankfully, in 1978, Jimmy Carter rescued the doomed souls of beer loving Americans and signed Senate Amendment 3534 allowing households to brew their own beer as long as they don’t go beyond 200 gallons a year. After the lifting of the prohibition on alcoholic beverages, it was home brew beer enthusiasts who worked hard to revive the brewing industry. Today, there are over 1,463 breweries in the United States, a much improved American home brewing state.

American Home Brewing is alive and well today, so of-course it’s time to sit down, relax, and enjoy a home brew. For those still not up to speed with home brewing beer, follow the link to learn more!

Like Beer? Brew Your Own!

Home brewing is something which has been popular for many years. Still, those of us for whom convenience is the issue may find that we would much rather go to the liquor store and pay to enjoy beer brewed by companies who have done it for years, with equipment suitable for mass production. However, as with everything else in life, convenience costs. As insignificant as the additional cost can seem at the time, it certainly becomes significant over the course of a years worth of sports games, parties and nights out.

Paying for your own beer brewing supplies may not seem to make sense at first, as you will think to yourself that you could have a few nights worth of drinking for the same price and not have to go to the effort of ensuring that your brew tastes like it is supposed to. However, look at the situation beyond just a few weeks ahead and you’ll see that home brewing is a much better option. After the initial amount that you pay for the kit and supplies, which is little more than the cost of a few crates anyway, you’ll have the potential to make enough beer to see you through the next couple of months.

As well as the initial costs, some people are put off home brewing because it sounds like a lot of effort. It must be better to just let the breweries take care of all of the behind the scenes stuff for us, right? Well, of course it is, but then again you could think of it this way – you can eat in a restaurant every night of the year, but you’ll save money and develop a skill if you cook your own meals. The longer you keep practising, the better your beer will get, and before too long you will have your own recipe which will be customisable to give you the taste you want every time.

As for the supplies you need, these can be found easily enough. In most towns you will find a store which has the necessary equipment and the right ingredients, and if you are not so lucky you will certainly find them on the Internet, often at a lower price. You can find out exactly what you need by doing a bit of online research. There are various beer brewing forums that are full of like-minded beer lovers who will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

Beer brewing supplies come with instructions if you have never brewed beer at home before, it is worth following these closely to make sure you do not miss out an important step. The best way to learn how to do something right is to keep doing it and get the technique down. Once you have the basics learnt, you can then start deviating from the standard processes in order to make your own special recipes. Brewing your own beer may sound like too much hassle but its really worth the effort.

Luke Porter is a home brewing beer enthusiast, and an expert author. You are invited to discover the simple secrets of brewing world class beer from the comfort of your home by reading his latest book, “Home Beer Brewing Secrets” – available online today!

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The Best Beer Is The One You Brew Yourself…

Home Beer Brewing is not only great fun but very rewarding. You can make it simply by following the basic instructions in the kit or branch out using different recipes as you gain more experience. With the right kit the process is made so easy with good consistent results.

A home beer brewing kit is a great gift idea for people that are looking to get involved with brewing beer as a hobby. A kit will provide them with everything they need to get started with, including all the equipment and supplies… such as extract, yeast, bottles, and other important gear.

Some Tips For You:

One – you will need some where in your home or shed that gives you enough room to work, including a good work bench and a sink area for washing and cleaning and drying. One very important fact is that all your equipment and bottles need to be sterilized.

Two – the right temperature is essential for the wort to properly react with the yeast, and then ferment to provide great tasting beer. If the temperature is too low or too high, you will have problems!

Three – refrigerated beer is great beer. Just make sure you cool the beer that has properly fermented and carbonated, don’t cool beer to early otherwise it might end up bad to taste.

Making your own beer, complete with your own label is very rewarding and with the right equipment, setting up your own home beer brewery is not hard at all. You need to invest a little time and effort to learn how to create the perfectly brewed beer and a little money to invest in your first equipment but then you will be able to brew a good tasting beer

Are you serious about starting your own Home Beer Brewing? Then check out the website below, you will find all the information you need to get you started as well as good practical tips and recipes. Have fun, Cheers.

The home brewing beer ultimate guide is your one stop shop of brewing beer at home. One chapter is fully committed to showing you the ins and outs off brew kits, so you are always one step ahead off the home beer brewing practice!