Diary: Indiana craft beer, and how drinking it at the State Fair and buying it at a farmers market may lead to civilization's collapse.

(My diary is the place for unexpurgated thoughts. Maybe I'll edit them later. Probably not)

Did you know that Indiana package stores believe Indiana beer and wine at the State Fair to be a bad idea?

Did you know Indiana package stores also oppose allowing small Indiana breweries to do what wineries have done with their products for thirty years running, and sell local beer at local farmers markets?

Hmm. Did I miss the press release in which Indiana package stores were appointed Official Godlike Overseers of the legislative process in Indiana?

I believe I must have. And it's really lamentable.

So let's just be clear, with a personal thought entirely unconnected with policies determined by my Guild, of which I'm a director: At times like this, heartfelt protestations of undying support and friendship from the package store association (as an entity ... certainly not individuals, whose opinions vary, although Big Red Liquors has openly advanced both these views, and one must express confusion as to why Big Red is doing so) -- well, shall we say, these sonorous proclamations of fidelity ring somewhat hollow?

With "friends" like these, who needs prohibitionist enemies?

Yes, I shall say so. I didn't use the word hypocritical, so give me that much. I might have, and no court in the world would rule against my choice of wording.

My hope is that the House will see past the grandstanding and approve a couple of bills that empower the small brewing business while taking absolutely nothing away from small package stores.

Indiana politicking: Cold beer and Sunday sales for your neighborhood hypermarket?

Everyone knew that a big legislative push was coming this year in Indiana from retail entities not permitted to sell alcohol for carry-out on Sunday, or to sell cold beer anytime.

The Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers, which represents package stores, remains opposed, and the reason why I chose this article over an Indy Star boilerplate reprint in today's Courier-Journal is this reference to a liquor store owner in Leo-Cedarville:

"Kohrman said he stocks microbrews and imports that cannot be found at other retail locations."

Think about the products you typically see at corporate supermarkets and drug emporiums. If you've ever been involved with the booze business, you already know how and why those (mostly) mass-produced alcoholic products make it onto the shelf in such venues for razor-thin margins. It's food and drink for thought.

Repeal of alcohol blue laws sought; Group revives legislative push for Sunday carryout sales, by Jeff Wiehe and Niki Kelly (Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette).

FORT WAYNE – With more time to convince legislators during a budget year, a statewide coalition of drug, grocery and convenience stores is confident in repealing a law that bans the sale of alcohol at those businesses on Sundays.