Update on FMB tax proposal

According to the Vermont Grocer's Association Legislative Report for 4.24, the proposed tax increase on Flavored Malt Beverages (FMB's) has been removed from consideration. The proposed tax increase on Liquor (vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.) is still being considered. The Senate plans to raise the State Tax on liquor from 25% to 35%, which they expect will result in an addition $6 million in tax revenue. If you have not yet already, please consider contact the members of the Senate Finance Committee and/or your local Senator(s). Click here for their contact list.

The bill also contains a 25 cent per pack increase on cigarette taxes and will raise the ad valorem tax on cigars from 41% of wholesale to 92% of wholesale. Click here to read the VGA's full report.

Thanks for your support!
Jeff

Next in line

The closeouts are going fast, so don't miss out! The Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca has a "B+" on Beeradvocate.com and a "90%" on ratebeer.com...a super tasty Belgian white for warm days (like this weekend)!

Added to the Beer shelves this week:
+ Widmer Brothers Brewing "Drifter" Pale Ale 6 packs
+ Guinness "250th Anniversary" Stout
+ Magic Hat #9 bombers (22oz) - they're back!

Cheers,
Jeff

Long Trail Awarded Governor's Environmental Award

Yesterday, Earth Day, Gov. Jim Douglas awarded Long Trail's Eco Brew Program the Vermont Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence! The brewery was honored with this award for their continuing commitment to reducing their impact on the planet and finding new, exciting ways to save resources. Among their many accomplishments, the brewery has achieved a below average water consumption, uses recycled materials for packaging, sends their spent grains to local cow farms for food, has reduced their package sizes to use less materials, established a thermal energy recovery system in their brewhouse, all while using renewable energy sources and soy/vegetable based inks.

I congratulate all of the hard work that Long Trail has done thus far and look forward to seeing what new and innovating environmental initiatives are still to come!

Cheers,
Jeff

Closeouts and new beer and Tax Increase Update

Once again, back to offer you some great deals! We just got a shipment of Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca 6 packs and Rogue Ales "Yellow Snow IPA" 5 liter mini-kegs and we're offering them both at huge price reductions! The price is too good to put online (I know, I hate it when people say that), but the mini-kegs were previously $42 and they are now significantly less than half that! You won't want to miss out on this!

Also added to the beer room today:
+ Chang Beer (Thailand)
+ St. Louis Lambics are now available in a 11.7oz package

I also got an update on the Senate proposed Tax increase today from Jim at VGA. He wrote:
" The tax bill is H.442. The Senate Finance Committee is considering the FMB tax increase as part of that bill. They also starting looking at a cigarette tax and spirits tax hike yesterday. They may vote something out this week....The spirit proposal is to increase the tax from 25% to 35%. The cigarette is a 25 cent increase per pack and there is also an other tobacco products tax."

Please consider writing to the list of Senators in my previous post and urge them not to raise taxes on Liquor, Beer, Specialty Beer or FMBs.

Cheers,
Jeff

Malt Beverage Tax Increase being considered by Senate!

I just got an Action Alert from the Vermont Grocers' Association that I thought you should all read. According to the VGA's Legislative Report for 4/17, the Senate is considering raising taxes on soda, candy, water, beer, wine and liquor. Their immediate concern is over a huge tax hike on "Flavored Malt Beverages." You can read the Action Alert below. Please consider calling or emailing the Senators ASAP.

Thanks!
Jeff

Large Flavored Malt Beverage Tax Hike under Consideration by Senate Senate Finance Committee considering Malt and Liquor Taxes Calls & emails from retailers needed now!

Late Friday afternoon, the Senate Finance Committee asked their legislative council to draft a new tax bill that is expected to include increases in the state's liquor taxes and a dramatic increase in the excise tax on flavored malt beverages. FMB's include malt beverage products such as Mike's Hard Lemonade, Twisted Tea, Smirnoff Ice, etc. All malt beverages in Vermont under 6% alcohol (including FMB's) have an excise tax of 26 cents per gallon and a sales tax at retail (added two years ago). Malt beverages over 6% (specialty beers) and wine have an excise tax of 55 cents per gallon plus a retail sales tax. Senate Finance Chair, Senator Ann Cummings, recommended that the tax bill be drafted this weekend with the FMB tax as high as possible, possibly over $5.00 per gallon, a whopping 1900% tax increase. An increase of this magnitude on what is already a higher priced malt beverage will likely price them out of reach and force them off store shelves. The committee is returning Monday morning at 9:30 to resume their review of the tax bill. They may also consider other taxes, such as a new beverage tax depending on the juice content, tax on bottled water and a tax on snack food. It is very important to contact your state senator(s) and members of the Finance Committee ASAP and urge them to oppose new beer or FMB taxes on Monday. Senate Finance Committee Senator Ann Cummings, Chair, Washington County, acummings@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 223-6043 Senator Claire Ayer, Vice Chair, Addison County, cayer@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 545-2142 Senator Bill Carris, Rutland County, bcarris@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 438-5391 Senator Robert Hartwell, Bennington County, rhartwell@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 362-5757 Senator Mark MacDonald, Orange County, mmacdonald@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 433-5867 Senator Hull Maynard, Rutland County, Hull@sover.net, (802) 773-3000 Senator Dick McCormack, Windsor County, rmccormack@leg.state.vt.us, (802) 234-5497 A full list of state senators can be found at: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/lms/legdir/districts.asp?Body=S Faxes can be sent to 802-828-2424 (must be addressed to a specific legislator). Messages can be taken at the Sergeant of Arms office M-F at 1-800-322-5616

Some limited new brews

Prost everybody! Got a couple updates:

+ Stone Cali-Belgique 22oz (their IPA fermented with a Belgian yeast) - 2 cases only!
+ Woodstock Inn "Kanc Country Maple Porter" 22oz
+ Peak Organic Pomegranate Wheat Ale and IPA 6 packs

And if you're reading this right now, you should jump in your car and rush over to the Bevy! The Free Pint Glass Friday with Harpoon Brewing is going on right now. It ends at 8pm, so don't miss out on your chance to try their newest beers on us!

Cheers,
Jeff

Newest arrivals and upcoming tasting

Hey kids. Got some new brew for you:
+ Dogfish Head Black and Blue 750mL
+ Dogfish Head Burton Baton Oak Aged IPA 4 packs
+ Southern Tier Hoppe Imperial Extra Pale Ale 22oz are back (limited)

Seasonal returns:
+ Sierra Nevada Summerfest 6 and 12 packs
+ Anchor Summer 6 packs
+ Tremont Summer 6 packs

Next Friday, 4/17, is the next Free Pint Glass Friday with Harpoon Brewery (VT & MA). Starts at 5pm and goes till 8pm. Our new totally awesome rep. Meghan will be on hand to pour their two new beers, UFO White and Leviathan Quad, plus more. You'll get to keep your full sized, specialty tasting glass as well!

And a quick note on some limited beers that are still in stock. A lot of these are the end of a vintage or are really hard to get, so don't miss out!
+ Stone 2008 Old Guardian 22oz (less than 1 case left)
+ Stone 2008 Imperial Russian Stout 12oz (less than two cases left)
+ Dieu du Ciel! We still have 4 of the 5 beers available, but supply is spotty with their importer and who knows when we'll get more.
+ Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale 6 packs
+ Rodenbach Grand Cru - Rodenbach is still in between importers and there's a limited quantity left in Vermont
+ Gouden Carolus Cuvee van de Kaiser Blauw and Rouge 2008 (less than 2 bases each)
+ Gouden Carolus Cuvee Blauw magnums (1.5L) 2008 (6 left)
+ Samichlaus Dopplebock 3 liter - only one left!

Cheers and happy drinking!
Jeff

New Brews and Hill Farmstead

'Ello mates! New brews in this week from Scotland, Australia, Hawaii and Vermont!
+ BrewDog (Scotland): Punk IPA, Hardcore IPA, The Physics, Dogma, Rip Tide Stout, Paradox Imp. Stout in 1966 Port Dundas Cask, & Paradox Imp. Stout in Isle of Arran Cask. (Check out my reviews for Punk, Hardcore, and the two Paradox on BeerAdvocate.com or RateBeer.com - username SFLpunk.)
+ Coopers (Australia): Sparkling Ale, Lager, Extra Stout and Pale Ale 6 packs
+ McNeill's (VT) Ruby Ale (Extra Amber) 22oz
+ Kona (Hawaii) Pipeline Porter 6 packs
+ RedHook (WA & NH) Slim Chance Light Lager 6 packs

And I got in lots of solid specialty glassware today including:
+ Gouden Carolus chalice
+ Duvel tulip
+ Piraat tulip
+ Erdinger .5L dimple mug
+ BrewDog "Tokyo" pilsner glass
+ McChouffe chalice
+ Dogfish Head snifter
+ Dupont Biere de Miel tulip
+ Ommegang chalice
+ Allagash chalice
+ and more!

And finally today, I'd like to announce that Hill Farmstead, headed by Shaun e. Hill, is slated to start brewing hopefully later this year. Shaun is planning to release his Brett Saison, Pale Ale, Coffee Stout, Porter, and more in 750mL capped bottles. I've been messaging back and forth with Shaun all week about pricing and packaging and distribution. He told me today in a message sent from Denmark, that his fermenters should be shipping from the West Coast this week. He is currently the head brewer at the Nørrebro Bryghus brewpub in København. Shaun has also brewed at The Shed in Stowe, VT and Trout River in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. I'm a personal fan of his Belgian-influenced style and look forward to the release of his Black Saison! I'll keep you posted as things move along.

Hope to see you in the store soon!
Cheers,
Jeff

Hop Rhizomes are in!

Hello all you Hop-Heads!

I was talking with Matt of Vermont Homebrew Supply earlier today and he showed me his huge bags of hop rhizomes! Rhizomes are essentially the root "buds" of the hop vine (Humulus lupulus) and are the way that you propagate hop plants. He's got about 10 different varieties and they're going out for sale tomorrow, he said, $5 each root. He told me not to wait too long, this is the time to start planning and planting!

So when you come into town tomorrow to grab your rhizomes from Matt and Anne, swing by and see what's new in the beer room. You'll need some brews to cool you off after all the gardening!

Also, I've got a killer new glassware cabinet and starting tomorrow it will be filled up with all sorts of specialty stems and chalices, goblets and snifters.

And lastly, NEW BEERS tomorrow! I'll post the list once I see what shows up.
Cheers,
Jeff