Topic Archives: Hop City
Without Home Brew Supplies, Hop City Granted Liquor License In Alabama
Last week, armed ABC agents entered Hop City’s second location in Birmingham, Alabama. The beer store (founded in Atlanta) is ready to open their second location. Agents entered the unopened location last Thursday and confiscated books and materials dealing with home brewing. Nearly $7,000 of grain, books, hops and equipment were taken.
The rest was moved back to the first store in Atlanta, Georgia. After interviewing the owner of Hop City, he tells me that they cooperated with agents the best they could. However, Torres tells BSJ that no warrant was presented to the manager on duty.
On Monday (Sept 24) Hop City was granted their liquor license and will open this week. No home brewing supplies of course.
It is illegal to home brew in the state of Alabama.
Armed Alabama Agents Confiscate Home Brewing Supplies
Do you need any proof that Alabama legislature is a backwards thinking? Read on.
My good friend Kraig Torres founded Hop City a few years ago in Atlanta, Georgia. The store sells 1,800+ beers, wine, and homebrewing supplies. Not to mention a 60+ growler station. Hop City is ranked among the best beer stores on planet earth on RateBeer.com Building upon his great success, Kraig decided to open a second location in Birmingham, Alabama. Recent law changes make Birmingham a great place for a second Hop City.
Kraig has received all the necessary permits to open except for one – the liquor license from the Alabama Beverage Commission. Kraig applied for this license, and with it, provided a floor plan. In the floor plan, he included an area for home brewing supplies. Home brewing is illegal in Alabama, but selling the ingredients is not. Kraig and his lawyer have done extensive diligence on the matter.
Yesterday (Thursday), ARMED ABC agents raided Hop City Birmingham, and confiscated books on home brewing, grain, wort chillers, and more. The agents threatened to arrest his store manager because he harbored materials used to make beer. The ABC Agents loaded up a van with $7,000 of Kraig’s inventory, stating they would be back the next day for the rest. Every single grain, hop, and carboy has to be out of the Hop City Birmingham location before a license will be granted.
Kraig tells me that his opening will now be delayed, until his license can be granted. “I’m being held hostage by the ABC board.”
Sound off. What are your thoughts on armed men confiscating books on brewing? Bagging hops and grain like it’s cocaine?
UPDATE 9/22/12. 9 AM: The agents were armed. Whether the guns were drawn, or pointed at employees is up for contention.
Ed. Note: Pic above is one BSJ took at the Atlanta Hop City location.
CNN Talks Father’s Day Beers [Video]
Atlanta’s Hop City Craft Beer & Wine’s owner/founder Kraig Torres was recently on CNN talking about manly beers for Father’s Day. Kraig chose some big beers to celebrate Dads. Dude, it’s not wine. No spit buckets.
Hop City Home Brewing Featured On Good Mornings Atlanta
Hop City Brewing was featured on Good Mornings Atlanta today. Valentine’s Day is next week. Home brewing is a great gift, and sexy when done together. 😉
Atlanta’s Hop City Expanding, Adding 60 Tap Growler Station
Atlanta’s Hop City Craft Beer & Wine, ranked 12th best beer retailer in the world on RateBeer.com (8th overall the U.S.) has some pretty big news. Owner Kraig Torres has just inked a deal that will put a second store in Birmingham, Alabama. (A place starving for good beer!)
We have a large customer base from Birmingham who drive two-and-half hours to our store, so Alabama was a no brainer! says Kraig Torres
The new location will span about 5,500 square feet and open in March at Pepper Place in Birmingham.
And in other big Hop City News:
The current store in Atlanta, Georgia – sells 1,800 different beers, 1,000 wines, and home brewing supplies. Earlier this year, Hop City added a 16 tap growler wall once they became allowable in Georgia. Growler lovers, get ready for this. On January 7th, Hop City will open a growler wall expansion – bringing the total to 60 taps. The most in the southeast. Kraig recently bought the empty store adjacent to the shop. The annex will have the tap wall, and a new temperature controlled beer cellar, full of goodies they will release throughout the year.
More on the Alabama Expansion
Atlanta’s Hop City Expanding, Adding 60 Tap Growler Station
Atlanta’s Hop City Craft Beer & Wine, ranked 12th best beer retailer in the world on RateBeer.com (8th overall the U.S.) has some pretty big news. Owner Kraig Torres has just inked a deal that will put a second store in Birmingham, Alabama. (A place starving for good beer!)
We have a large customer base from Birmingham who drive two-and-half hours to our store, so Alabama was a no brainer! says Kraig Torres
The new location will span about 5,500 square feet and open in March at Pepper Place in Birmingham.
And in other big Hop City News:
The current store in Atlanta, Georgia – sells 1,800 different beers, 1,000 wines, and home brewing supplies. Earlier this year, Hop City added a 16 tap growler wall once they became allowable in Georgia. Growler lovers, get ready for this. On January 7th, Hop City will open a growler wall expansion – bringing the total to 60 taps. The most in the southeast. Kraig recently bought the empty store adjacent to the shop. The annex will have the tap wall, and a new temperature controlled beer cellar, full of goodies they will release throughout the year.
More on the Alabama Expansion
Growlers Arrive In Atlanta
Suck it Athens, Georgia. Atlanta finally gets growlers. Today Hop City becomes the first place to sell growlers, and the people love it. It looked like an iPhone launch for beer geeks.
If you don’t know about growlers, its like this. $5 gets you a glass jug in which you pour draft beer into. It’s then capped, and you open it within a few days & drink it. Fresh from the tap to your house. Rinse it. Take the growler back & get it filled again..
Growlers are quite popular in other parts of the U.S. but those pesky antiquated state laws get in the way. Now you can. Hop City sells the growlers for $5 dollars plus the price of the beer. There are 16 taps to choose from, rotating constantly. Today’s first 16 included Wild Heaven’s Ode To Mercy & Invocation, Jailhouse Breakout Stout, Terrapin Moo Hoo & Rye Squared, Sweetwater Happy Ending 2010 & IPA, Red Brick 16th Anniversary, Stillwater, New Belgium 10-10-10 & Oh La La, Duvel Green, Lost Abbey Red Barn, Victory Braumeister Stout, Brooklyn Lager, & Southern Tier 2X IPA.
Red Brick blew first and was replaced by French Broad Anvil Porter. 5pm found a line out the door. Everyone was patient, especially as the new system gets polished up. Yours truly was the first in Atlanta history to get a growler. I’m drunkenly proud. The tap handles will constantly change as another beer runs out, so check the list everyday.
Sunday sales and growlers in the same week. Told ya Santa Claus was an alcoholic.
