...in terms of who is running and setting the rules for which bit of the beer and booze market, that is. I had to read this article a few times before I got any sense of who had authority over whom:
Wicomico County Council Vice President Stevie Prettyman stood up during the public meeting Tuesday and dropped three six-packs of beer on the table. In grandiose style, meant to make a statement and command action, the three-term councilwoman said she purchased Bud Light, Natural Light and Miller High Life from all three Wicomico Wine & Spirits shops Monday -- a violation of a county-liquor control board agreement from 2004.So it appears that this one state's County Liquor Boards, public bodies, and beer sellers, who are private, are somewhat responsive to their county government yet also the state leading to Wicomico public stores selling beer except when it promises not to except at holiday times if people really need beer. This seems to set up 24 different sets of rules in the one jurisdiction. This website for another Maryland county puts it this way:Prettyman said she acted after receiving multiple complaints from citizens about underhanded sales. These were the same types of complaints that came in 2004 about a year after the third Wicomico liquor dispensary on East Naylor Mill Road opened. The County Council responded by asking H. Stewart Haemel, Wicomico County Liquor Control Board chairman, to cease the beer sales.
...the Board of License Commissioners is responsible for licensing and regulation, and its office shares the responsibility of enforcement with the Police; while the Department of Liquor Control handles the distribution to all beverage alcohol outlets and owns and operates 25 retail stores. These 25 stores maintain exclusive right to the sale of spirits for carryout while sharing the privilege of selling wine and beer with off-premise license-holders.This is one of the odder public administration schemes I have seen - up there with the separate beer boards of Tennessee for schismistic bureaucratization. There is even a group called Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws...but I am not sure if "better" is a euphemism for clearer laws or more Byzantine ones.
Comments
BambiNY - January 17, 2008 1:52 AM
This has apsolutely nothing to do with this blog....I'm so sorry for interupting. But if someone could please give me a hand here...I have a quick quick question. My vet did me a huge favor with one of our pets last week and I need to get him a gift. He moved here from England a few years ago...I wanted to buy him a case of beer to remind him of home. Could somebody please help me out with this one? I have no clue on whats a good Enlish beer...or what they drink at the pubs. I live close by 'Beers of the World' (was mentioned on this site) so I'm sure they would have just about anything you suggest.
Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!
Boak - January 17, 2008 3:40 AM
Tempted as I am to recommend obscurities, you can't really go wrong with the Fullers range. Some would say it's better in cask (it usually is) and others would say it should be bottle conditioned (it'd be nice) but it's still pretty good in plain old pasteurised form.
Unless he isn't an ale drinker of course!
Alan - January 17, 2008 8:52 AM
If you are in the Rochester area and can get to Beers of the World, I would suggest you go for a mixed case. They have a huge stock and many beers are offered by the single bottle. Have a eye as always for the best before dates and take the beer from the cooler if you can. The other thing you could do is get a gift certificate to Rohrbach Brewing, a brewpub I can highly recommend.
BambiNY - January 17, 2008 1:24 PM
Alan...what a good idea about a mixed case! I didnt know you could do that. I'll check for dates and taking it from the cooler...what if it gets warm? Is it just a myth that beer gets 'skunked'?
Boak...also thank you, I'll get him Fullers too.
I went on an international chat site...asked some old guy from whales what they drink at the pubs there....he told me Stella and Kronenberg 1664. I looked them both up and seems to be beer from France. Who knows....
But thanks for advice...if anyone knows of anymore please let me know..I'm going to BOTW tomorrow.
Smoove D - January 21, 2008 12:03 AM
I give up. Why can't you buy beer in Maryland on Mondays? I thought Georgia was ridiculous, but that takes the cake.