OT: Mississippi #50 again

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

It is most certainly not overblown. Its 2023, and you still can’t even BUY beer (let alone make it) in almost half the state….36 of 82 counties are still dry.

Seriously, who’s gonna sign up to assume all the PITA risks and responsibilities of a new small business (start up costs, hiring / training, likely footing the bill for 100% of their health insurance, etc.) in a location where you have to eliminate 44% of the market right off the bat, eliminate another half of what’s left even in wet counties due to ideological reasons, and then eliminate 60-70% of what’s left after that because they have neither the money nor the pallette to enjoy the finer points of craft beer. All in a state with an extremely unwelcoming environment for all business (big and small), even those with no Bible belt bug-a-boo’s.

As usual, Mississippi is 50th in a metric, and again as usual….the only surprising thing about it is that they aren’t somehow 51st.

It's surprising that Texas is down the list too, but Texans concentrate more on Spirits and Wine. We leave the beer to those girly boys down 'round Austin. NTTAWWT**

 

[thatsbaseball]

Hold on please while I ask this dog where to get the best craft IPA

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Damn you . You made me think of our Irish Setter "Red". She was the most wonderful pet ever and I still miss her.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

It's surprising that Texas is down the list too, but Texans concentrate more on Spirits and Wine. We leave the beer to those girly boys down 'round Austin. NTTAWWT**

Texas has had (and still does) some of the most repressive alcohol laws in the country. When I moved from Austin area to Dallas in 07' half the city of Dallas was dry.

Burger place by my house gave away free beer because it was illegal to sell it. Even as late as 2010, we had to carry stupid little cards making us members of a private club to go drink at bars in many parts of town. Many of the strip joints were BYOB. You couldn't buy beer at the grocery stores by my house in the middle of Dallas, only 6 miles from downtown.

Fast forward to today and 200+ of the 254 counties are completely or partially dry. Most cities and towns elect to become wet in the partially dry counties, but many have restrictions on the alcohol content of beer and don't allow liquor at all. Even Travis and Williamson counties are still only considered partially wet. The county is dry and the cities have to vote to be wet. When I lived in Georgetown in the mid 00's we just started being able to buy beer and wine in restaurants, but no liquor and nothing at HEB.

 

[HumpDawgy]

However, I believe we are # 1 in consumption!

 

[onewoof]

Texas has had (and still does) some of the most repressive alcohol laws in the country. When I moved from Austin area to Dallas in 07' half the city of Dallas was dry.

Burger place by my house gave away free beer because it was illegal to sell it. Even as late as 2010, we had to carry stupid little cards making us members of a private club to go drink at bars in many parts of town. Many of the strip joints were BYOB. You couldn't buy beer at the grocery stores by my house in the middle of Dallas, only 6 miles from downtown.

Fast forward to today and 200+ of the 254 counties are completely or partially dry. Most cities and towns elect to become wet in the partially dry counties, but many have restrictions on the alcohol content of beer and don't allow liquor at all. Even Travis and Williamson counties are still only considered partially wet. The county is dry and the cities have to vote to be wet. When I lived in Georgetown in the mid 00's we just started being able to buy beer and wine in restaurants, but no liquor and nothing at HEB.

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Compare to MS - was not aware there were this many

 

[Dawgbite]

I love beer and I like beer that has some taste. You will rarely see me with a “ Light” anything in my hand. When I visit somewhere new a brewery is the first thing I look for but for the life of me, I can’t understand how anyone could like an IPA. It’s just too much of a good thing to the point of being nasty.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

I love beer and I like beer that has some taste. You will rarely see me with a “ Light” anything in my hand. When I visit somewhere new a brewery is the first thing I look for but for the life of me, I can’t understand how anyone could like an IPA. It’s just too much of a good thing to the point of being nasty.

FIFY

 

[Perd Hapley]

Okay. I hope you feel better typing that long post that was too long to read.

Ha….I mean it wasn’t even in the Top 2 or 3 longest posts in this thread, but OK.

Please continue with your mentality that half the state still effectively operating under prohibition laws doesn’t indicate anything about the Bible Belt mentality, or create a negative perception for a booze-based small business entrepreneur.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Compare to MS - was not aware there were this many

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I think that is a little old. From what I read in 2021 MS passed a state law making all counties wet (in terms of possession of beer not sales) and they have to vote to go back.

Also, I eventually answered my own question last night. Found a research paper from 2015 by a Phd at Louisville.


This jives with what @EagleDawg97 said about the state limiting the amount of on premise sales of beer in MS. That's a poison pill that makes it very hard to open a typical microbrewery or brewpub. It's flat out corruption by the big brewers, distributors, and politicians. The mega breweries used the "Bible Belt Baptists" to shoehorn their way into state politics years ago when it was easy to do so and dump tons of money into campaigns and lobbying for laws that restrict microbreweries.

I will agree the Bible Belt and Baptists have changed quite a bit over the last 15 years, but big business lobbying and politicians have not. The hooks are already in and it takes a lot of effort to get them out. I swear to you, ever damn problem in this country seems to get traced back to big money going into the coffers of politicians.