New York State Liquor Authority Tries to Stop Christmas from Coming

[GoddessOfGuinness]

A New York beer distributor has received word by telephone that the New York State Liquor Authority will not allow six beers with cheerful holiday-themed labels to be sold in the state this Christmas season. The SLA representative explained that the labels could not be approved for sale because Christmas imagery would “appeal to underage drinkers.” The banned beer labels are:

• Santa’s Butt Winter Porter (depicting Santa enjoying a pint atop a large barrel, or ‘butt,’ of beer)
• Warm Welcome Nut-Browned Ale (depicting Santa arriving to a fiery welcome at the bottom of the chimney shaft)
• Very Bad Elf Special Reserve Ale (depicting a wayward elf celebrating Christmas a little too early)
• Seriously Bad Elf English Double Ale (depicting the same elf taking aim at Santa and his sleigh with a slingshot)
• Criminally Bad Elf Barley-Wine-Style Ale (depicting the intractable and belligerent elf finally behind bars)
• Rudolph’s Revenge Winter Ale (a straight-on cartoon portrait of the famous red-nosed reindeer)

Shelton Brothers, importers of the beers, have retained an Albany attorney, George Carpinello, of Boies, Schiller & Flexner, to seek a court ruling overturning the SLA’s decision. George Carpinello was the lead attorney for the plaintiff in the case of Bad Frog Brewing Co. v. New York State Liquor Authority, which culminated in 1998 in a decision by the federal Court of Appeals holding, among other things, that the brewery’s First Amendment right to use the label image of its choosing could not be infringed by the SLA on the tenuous assumption that the image would appeal to younger people.

Daniel Shelton of Shelton Brothers commented: “It’s very strange that New York, a state that we think of as more progressive, is the only state among the 45 states or so in which we sell beer to ban these labels on this dubious ‘underage drinking’ rationale. Santa Claus, elves, and red-nosed reindeer may have persuasive influence on the four-to-six age group, but we think it’s safe to assume that tots are not interested in alcoholic drink, and wouldn’t have any chance at all of buying any even if they were interested. For the late-teens who are really at risk for underage drinking, these symbols of the Christmas season are not cool in the least. On the contrary.”

Vehemently rejecting any suggestion that his company is marketing its wares to children, Shelton continued: “We don’t have any market among underage drinkers, and we certainly don’t want one. These labels were always intended to appeal to adults, not kids, and they have in fact been wildly popular with the over-21 crowd that has the money to afford them. They usually run to about five or six bucks a bottle, after all. We are by no means insensitive to the problem of teen drinking, and we applaud the SLA’s focus on the issue. We just don’t think that the issue has anything to do with this case.

http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/news/more.php?id=28_0_2_0_C

[xchrom]

1. liquor stores are supposed to check ids and not sell

to underage drinkers.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. My little kid likes the bottles,

but he's not interested in drinking from them.

My 19 year old wants to drink; but that's because he figures if he's old enough to die for his country, he should be able to get drunk about it. I concur.

[Left Is Write]

3. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I'm awfully glad the Idaho State Liquor Dispensary doesn't feel the same way about Sam Adams' Holiday Porter or other Christmas and winter beers.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. At $5-$6 a bottle,

it seems pretty unlikely that kids would spend money on it.

I was an underage drinker. I drank swill that was cheap, and was all about the buzz...not the flavor. If I'd tasted decent beer as a kid, I probably wouldn't have liked it.

[Kutjara]

7. Definitely.

When I started drinking (in my early teens), my tipple of choice was any vast bottle of wine with a screw-top that cost less than two bucks for two liters. After the first few belts, the gag reflex was supressed and the tastebuds were shocked into unconsciousness. The rest was easy. An added benefit was that the wine didn't taste any worse coming up than it had going down.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. If they really want to go after someone,

it should be the cheap crap sellers.

[LoZoccolo]

5. I know that when I first started drinking beer, I still believed in Santa too.

This is a good measure to protect our 17 year-olds.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. At 17, I never drank anything that cost more than $2.25 a pitcher

I can't imagine times have changed that much, even with inflation.

[LoZoccolo]

8. The lure of Santa might pull them in, though.

I know that I was impressionable back then.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. More likely to appeal to the slightly older crowd

who can afford it, though. Plus, even if kids could afford a $6 bottle of beer, it's not likely that they'd feel much of an effect from it. They want something that'll get them drunk quickly that they don't have to taste.

[NoPasaran]

11. This War on Christmas is getting out of hand n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. Magic Hat has a brew called "Blind Faith"

:D

[BrewerJohn]

14. This nonsense is becoming as reliable as O'Reilly's giant head

blowing up even bigger each December.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

13. tweaking for Scrooge

[deucemagnet]

15. New York State Liquor Authority Tries to Stop Christmas from Coming

*sigh* If only they had the power.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Even the Grinch would appreciate these fine brews...

:)

[deucemagnet]

17. I'm sure I'd be quite happy with the expensive microbrews!

In fact, alcohol is a great help in getting through this infernal time of year! :beer:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. Still, it seems wrong to deny others the pleasure,

don't you think? :toast: