Skip to Content
Everything Else

There’s a beer battle brewing in the state…

11:12 AM EDT on July 10, 2015

tbr-vinbudad1

"This Bud is not for you!"

That's what Anheuser-Busch recently said to the Beer Distributors of Oklahoma. I guess the two groups are fighting over the way-more-complex-than-it-should-be issue of selling refrigerated beer in our state.

Via a Brianna "Even Flow" Bailey report on NewsOK.com...

Anheuser-Busch Sales of Oklahoma is leaving the trade organization Beer Distributors of Oklahoma over disagreements on the state's alcohol laws.

Whaaa!!! Cry me a watered-down river of 3.2% horse piss! Anheuser-Busch leaving the Beer Distributors of Oklahoma would be like McDonald's leaving the Oklahoma Restaurant Association. They'll miss your money and that's it. Good riddance!

Actually, before I take such a strong stance maybe we should finish the article.

"For the past several years, a well-intentioned effort has been undertaken by legislators and stakeholders seeking to modernize Oklahoma's alcohol laws," the company said in a statement. "In Oklahoma and elsewhere, Anheuser-Busch is a strong supporter of modernization guided by free market principles and robust consumer choice. However, our definition of and path toward modernization does not align with the Beer Distributors of Oklahoma."

Anheuser-Busch of Oklahoma told the Beer Distributors group that it has decided to withdraw membership after 36 years after months of consideration, the company said...

The company believes that state laws should be reformed to allow for the sale of refrigerated, strong beer, said Eric James, senior director of Sales and Marketing for Anheuser-Busch Sales of Oklahoma.

"Our view of modernization is to allow for cold, full- strength beer across the state," James said. "We feel it gives retailers the best opportunity to satisfy their customers' needs and allows wholesalers to expand their products."

Well, that seems pretty logical. You'd think the Beer Distributors of Oklahoma would be cool with that. What gives?

Brett Robinson, president of Beer Distributors of Oklahoma, said the organization is in favor of some reforms of Oklahoma alcohol laws and Anheuser-Busch has not been forthcoming on its definition of modernization.

"The BDO has worked well with Oklahoma craft brewers in the market and on legislation over the years, including legislation Anheuser-Busch opposed this last session," Robinson said. "The BDO and its independent distributors, including independent Anheuser-Busch distributors, will continue to work with all stakeholders, including our suppliers, large and small, to strengthen our beer laws and bring real reform to Oklahoma’s beer industry.

So I talked to a Mole about this whole thing last night and the disagreement has to do with wholesaler vs. distributor vs. franchisee vs. monopoly vs. who knows what else. I have ADD, and apparently the only thing more confusing than Oklahoma's archaic beer laws is quantum psychics, or if you're the governor of our state, elementary civics.

Anyway, some guy who's team "BDO" wrote a blog post about it here. It's confusing, too, but I'd rather read it than drink a nasty 3.2% Budweiser. Enjoy.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter