Free at last: Alabama beer lovers hopping for new hops

It seems like only last week when we couldn't buy high-gravity beer in Alabama. Oh, wait--it was last week. In fact, it was last Friday when Gov. Riley signed the Gourmet Beer Bill into law, raising the alcohol limit on beers sold in Alabama to 13.9% (from 6.0%) and liberating Alabama's taste buds. Nonetheless, delicious imperial stouts, dubbels, trippels, and strong IPAs are already showing up on the shelves of local grocery stores and package stores, and Alabama's beer lovers are snapping up the new offerings with speed and enthusiasm. The Piggly Wiggly on Clairmont received several cases of Left Hand, Ayinger, and North Coast Brewing Company high-gravity brews late on Wednesday afternoon, and the shelves were empty by 9 p.m.



Don't fret, brewheads! More beer is coming. I chatted with a friend of mine who buys wine and beer for that very Piggly Wiggly, and he said Wednesday's offerings were just a teaser--truckloads of new beers will be in that store on Thursday afternoon.

[UPDATE, Thursday, 4 p.m.: There is now more beer on the shelf photographed above. But it's going quick! Go check it out.]

What's more, J. Clyde will be receiving the newly legal bottles on Thursday and draft kegs as soon as Friday, according to J. Clyde owner Jerry Hartley. Hartley's list of forthcoming libations (which he's posted over on the Free The Hops message board -- a great resource if you're looking to find new beers in the Birmingham area) has Birmingham brewheads hot under the collar (just like he got our good Mayor all riled up just by asking a reasonable question in a public forum). Here's the list of newly legal beers the J. Clyde will have on tap by Friday at 3 p.m.:

Ayinger Celebrator
Left Hand Imperial Stout
Maredsous 8
Maredsous Tripel
North Coast ACME IPA
North Coast Old Rasputin
Ommegang Hennepin
Ommegang Rare VOS
Saison Dupont Farmhouse Ale

Loco's Deli in Homewood is also serving up some new brews. Blackwell's Pub is as well. The Western Supermarkets in Mountain Brook and Rocky Ridge also have bottled brews on the shelf or on the way, as does Dee's Package Store on Greensprings Ave. Vulcan Beverage will soon be stocking new brews as well.

Again, check the Free The Hops message board for more updates--Danner Kline and the folks at Free The Hops have quite a system set up for finding your brews. And merchants, please add your beer lists to that site!

If you want to taste a whole lot of new brews, don't forget to buy tickets to the Magic City Brewfest on June 5 & 6.