Keg & Barrel - Top 150 Beer Bars in America

Hattiesburg, Mississippi's own Keg & Barrel was recently selected by DRAFT Magazine as one of the 150 Best Beer Bars in America. The only bar in Mississippi to receive this honor. Congratulations to the K&B!

Keg and Barrel Brew Pub
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
With trivia nights, bingo, and Monday Night Football drink specials, the Keg and Barrel breathes new energy into the historic house it calls home — and then there’s the beer. Clocking in just shy of 100 offerings, our favorite aspect is the chance to sample the sought-after yet rare lineup of Mississippi’s Lazy Magnolia Brewing. Its draft selection covers both coasts, and whether you’re looking to score a pint of Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber or Rogue Chocolate Stout, follow the food menu’s beer pairing guide for consumption bliss.
1315 Hardy St.

Beer Never Tasted So Good At Miss-I-Sippin’

Oxford, MS, March 25, 2010

For Immediate Release
Contact Information: Tori Sawyer, Project Coordinator
Phone: 662-236-6429
Email: yacdirector@gmail.com

Wine tastings have been popular fundraisers for charitable organizations. The challenge is they hold the air of sophistication often intimidate people who think they will be stuffy, over priced and maybe just a little bit boring.  The rise in micro brews, brew pubs and seasonal beers has made beers popular with everyone.  Leave it to college kids to think of a beer tasting as a fundraiser.

The college students whose creativity poured out this idea are the students in the University of Mississippi Hospitality Management Program.  The students wanted to put their class work to the test by creating an event that required them to handle everything from planning the event, developing a menu, serving as hosts and supporting the community.  The event entitled, Miss-I-Sippin’, pairs two organizations working in partnership to raise funds for community programs. The Arts Council in conjunction with Chef Lee Craven of the University of Mississippi Hospitality Management Program will host the event scheduled for March 25, 2010 at The Powerhouse.

Chef Craven, the chef for the Hospitality Management Program, will work with student to create a variety of comfort and exotic foods to be paired with over 20 different beers ranging from Coors Lite to the only beer brewed in Mississippi, Lazy Magnolia.  Students of Chef Craven’s will be taught how to create a menu with food cook and paired with the appropriate ale. The students will also benefit from learning how to plan and organize the event from start to finish. The funds raised from the event will go toward future projects such as this one to help provide culinary experiences, equipment and scholarships for the students.

Funds raised from the event will assist the Arts Council task of  transforming the 1928 Powerhouse into a performing arts center for the region. The facility requires $1.2 million in upgrades, renovations, and equipment to become fully functional. Once completed the facility will provide technical requirements for dance, music, live concerts, art exhibits, and theatre.

Blow off the foam and sip a beer while munching on great food at Miss-i-Sippen’.  The party is Thursday, March 25th, from 8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. at the Powerhouse on University Ave.  Tickets are on sale now
they start at $20 for students and Art Council members, and $30 for general public. Tickets can be purchased at the Powerhouse at the corner of 14th Street and University (413 South 14th Street, near Newk’s.)  Learn more at www.oxfordarts.com. Or call 662-236-6429

Alabama's Gourmet Beer Bonanza Spills Over Into Economic Growth

There's a lot of buzz in Birmingham about recent changes to state law which allow high gravity specialty beers which were previously unavailable. "High gravity" refers to the amount of sugar used during the brewing process which affects both the flavor and the alcohol content.

The Free the Hops bill lifted the five percent alcohol limit for beer in Jefferson County and now vendors are tapping into a whole new market. The gourmet beer bonanza is really spilling over into economic growth.
 Vendors say specialty bottle and draft beer purchases have gone up along with the alcohol percentage by volume.

"Some of it is very dark, like when it's poured it almost looks like syrup," said  Pam  Thornburg of Dee's Beverage Company of Alabama. "When it first came out everybody just went crazy. You know we were bombarded, with people coming just because it was new. It was what they wanted. They could get it in other states, but they couldn't get it here. So when it came here it was just, it was great."

 Wholesalers are also stocking up to take advantage of the craft brews craze.

 "Throughout the warehouse there are pallet after pallet after pallet of different styles of beer that weren't available in Alabama before the state passed the law," said Matt Kilpatrick of Birmingham Beverage.

But wholesalers are not the only businesses who got a boost when the hops were freed.  Local breweries are also getting a taste.

 "Good People that I mentioned before, that's in the process of expanding, that's seeing a lot of success," said Matt Kilpatrick of Birmingham Beverage.

The Birmingham bar scene is also getting more buzz than ever.

 "And the J.Clyde downtown was just named the number 22 bar in the world by, I believe it's Ratebeer.com, which is something that never would have happened before."

Scottish native Stuart Carter is the president of Free the Hops. He says the new availability is also improving the state's image in the eyes of gourmet beer buffs around the world.

"This affects people's perceptions of our state and at the end of the day this is my adopted home. I love Alabama. This is a great place to live and I want to work to change peoples' perceptions so that they see from the outside what we see from the inside which is one heck of a place to live," said Carter.

How does a Mississippi dry county or municipality become wet for beer?

The law provides for local elections to determine whether or not to allow beer to be sold in the local communities. Beer law provides that a vote to allow beer sales within a county will be held upon receipt by the board of supervisors of a petition signed by 20% of the qualified electors of the county. Likewise an election can be set to discontinue the sale of beer within the county upon receipt by the board of supervisors of a petition signed by 20% of the qualified electors of the county. Neither election may be held in any one county more often that once every five years.

Any municipality with a population of at least 2,500 people may vote to allow or prohibit the sale of beer within that municipality. The election will be called upon receipt by the governing authority of the city of a petition signed by 20% of the qualified electors of the city. An election to allow or prohibit the sale of beer may not be made in any city more than once every five years.

http://www.mstc.state.ms.us/info/faqs/TobaccoBeerandAlcohol.html

Mississippi's Wet/Dry Map (Beer)

From the Mississippi Tax Commission.

There are 36 (of 82) counties in Mississippi that are dry for beer sales. Within these 36 counties, there are numerous municipalities that are wet for beer sales. These are municipalities that have voted to allow beer sales or are in qualified resort areas. Unlike the laws dealing with hard liquor, a municipality with a population over 2,500 located in a dry county for beer or liquor may hold an election to allow legal beer sales within the city. Referendums on the sale of beer can only be held every 5 years.



http://www.mstc.state.ms.us/taxareas/misc/beer_wet-dry.html

Top Of The Hops Beer Festival - Mandeville, LA

Saturday, March 20, 2010
Fountainebleau State Park
67825 Highway 190
Mandeville, LA, USA [ map ]

Red Mountain Entertainment and Blue Deuce Entertainment are proud to announce the inaugural Top of the Hops – North Shore Beer Festival presented by Abita Beer, Saturday, March 20th at the Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville, Louisiana.

Top of the Hops – North Shore Beer Festival will showcase the growing popularity of craft beers from around the country and the world in a relaxed and friendly outdoor environment. Patrons will receive a commemorative sampling mug and have access to unlimited, two-ounce sampling of over 100 craft beers in the Lazy Magnolia Beer Garden and the Covington Brewhouse Beer Garden. The festival will also feature the Sam Adams Brew University Education Area where patrons will enjoy beer seminars such as Cooking with Beer, Food Pairings, How to Brew Beer and other beer education sessions. Come enjoy the beautiful outdoor atmosphere with live music by The Scorseses and Rufus Jagneaux on the Full Sail Brewing Stage, as well as fun games like cornhole.

Tickets to the Top of the Hops – North Shore Beer Festival are $35.00 in advance and $40.00 the day of the festival. VIP tickets are $60.00 in advance and $65.00 the day of the festival

Tickets to the festival are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 800.745.3000.

Suds of The South Beerfest, Tuscaloosa, AL

The Free The Hops Tuscaloosa Chapter has organized a very cool event featuring southern breweries. There are still a few tickets left available online. At $10, this is a great deal. You get to meet and sample beers from the following folks:

* Lazy Magnolia of Kiln, MS
* Terrapin of Athens, GA
* Sweetwater of Atlanta, GA
* Good People of Birmingham
* Back Forty of Birmingham
* Olde Towne of Huntsville
* Abita of Abita Springs, LA
* Yazoo of Nashville

It’s on Saturday, March 13 from 4:00 to 6:00pm. The cost will cover unlimited samples, a 3oz sample glass and special discount on Southern Beers at the after party.

http://www.freethehops.org/blog/2010/02/suds-of-the-south/

Raise Your Pints Action Alert!

Raise Your Pints supporters,

The deadline for committee action is upon us. All bills must be out of committee by this coming Tuesday, February 2. If they survive committee, then they move on to the appropriate floor for discussion, vote and possible transfer to the other house to repeat the process (committee approval, floor discussion, vote). At this time, all four of our bills are stalled in committee.

If you want to see Mississippi brought up to par with all other U.S. States...NOW IS THE TIME for your action.

We need as many people as possible to contact the individuals listed below who will decide the fate of these bills.

**********************************************
Stuck in House Ways & Means Committee:
House Bill 731: Gourmet Beer Bill (raise ABW cap above 5% ABW)
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/HB/HB0731.xml
House Bill 732: Legalize homebrewing of beer
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/HB/HB0732.xml

Ways & Means Chair, Percy W. Watson: 601-544-6490 (h), 601-545-1051 (w)
pwatson@house.ms.gov
Ways & Means Vice-chair, David Norquist: 662-843-9183 (h), 662-843-6171 (w)
dnorquist@house.ms.gov

**********************************************
Stuck in the Senate’s Finance Committee:
Senate Bill 2243: Gourmet Beer Bill (raise ABW cap above 5% ABW)
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/SB/SB2243.xml
Senate Bill 2717: Legalize homebrewing of beer
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/SB/SB2717.xml

Finance Chair, Dean Kirby: 601-359-3246, 601-932-1966 (h), 601-939-5968 (w)
dkirby@senate.ms.gov
Finance Vice-chair, Eugene Clarke: 601-359-3172, 662-827-7261 (w), 662-827-7264 (F)
bclarke@senate.ms.gov

**********************************************
Lt. Governor Phil Bryant can pressure the committee chairs to support the
bill. Contact him here:
http://www.ltgovbryant.com/contact/

Don't wait. It's now or next year!