Santa’s Butt has been censored.
In Maine, of all places (the cold, liberal northeast, that is), the Bureau of Liquor Enforcement denied approval for the import of the Oxfordshire, England-brewed Santa’s Butt Winter Porter, deeming it “undignified or improper.”
There are alternatives, of course. The Brew Site lists Bison Gingerbread Ale as their pick for Day 2 of the Advent Beer Calendar. And before anyone jumps all over me about even mentioning a religious tradition in the same sentence as an adult beverage, go back to your bible and look up Jesus’ first recorded miracle. [Hint: John 2: 1-11]
We served He’brew: The Chosen Beer for Thanksgiving. this year.
“the cold, liberal northeast, that is”
Both of Maine’s senators are Republican, Netmom.
You really should stick to local politics. When it comes to national politics, your instincts are remarkably parochial.
He’brew… heh
Yes, senators Snowe and Collins are both Republican, and both are moderate (which I assign as a compliment, not an insult). Both US Representatives from Maine are Democrats, and the Maine State Legislature holds Democratic majorities in both houses.
Tch, tch… Joel, no reasonable person would assert that Maine is a conservative state; certainly from my frame of reference in the Southeast, it’s liberal. That’s not passing any sort of judgment on them — it’s simply surprise on my part that they would take this action. I can see something so silly happening in Tennessee, where you can buy a shotgun and shells in a store that also sells groceries, but not a bottle of wine to go with your dinner. I thought Maine was more progressive — is that a word that less offends your delicate sensibilities on national politics?
Still, I may have to see if I can find any of the Schmaltz brewing company products around here… after all, the story of Hanukkah is in my book, too.
The point, netmom, is that your gratuitious reference to “liberal northeast” is revealing only about your own narrow political views. Freedom of self-expression is what the ACLU–the favorite whipping boy of conservatives–spends money and hard work upholding. The fact that the Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement is censoring this label is further evidence that your simpleminded equation of northeast=liberal is flawed.
I’m thinking of getting involved in home brew. I think I will name it Equine Ur-ine (c). It will probably be about that tasty. :0
Ah, Netmom. Here’s an irony. The ACLU is apparently defending Santa’s Butt:
http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/878049
An inconvenient truth, eh?
Happily, the New York State Liquor Authority backed down:
http://beeradvocate.com/smack/archives/2006/11/875008
The article correctly characterizes the opposition as “conservative.” Must make you proud, eh?