When consumer convenience means culture crush: the battle over beer.

• Author: Dedrick, Jay
• Position: LEGISLATION

For Colorado craft brewers, the January gathering of state lawmakers at the Capitol has come to signal an annual battle to maintain their livelihood, not to mention the Centennial State's status as center of the beer universe.

Once again, state representatives have introduced legislation that would allow grocery and/or convenience stores to sell full-strength beer, not just the 3.2 product they currently stock. The past two years, such measures never made it past committee deliberation. What's different this year is that separate bills--one representing grocery stores, the other convenience stores--have been set into motion. Small breweries and mom-and-pop liquor stores fear the two-pronged approach might prove more difficult to fight than past efforts.

What's the problem? As a consumer, I sure would appreciate more retail availability of one of the state's finest resources. But the folks who brew the stuff don't like the idea. Never have.

And when they explain it, you understand why.

"One of the reasons the state has such a great beer culture is that, as a brewer, you have easy access to the retail decision makers who carry your beer," says Marty Jones of Denver's Wynkoop Brewery, Colorado's original brewpub. "To do that with a major grocery store chain is impossible. Small brewers like us won't have access to the shelves."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jones almost always has a smile on his face, but as he speaks about this issue, his expression is serious, almost grim--despite the glass of the Wynkoop's pumpkin ale in front of him. "For those of us who make a beer that's exotic ... this beer is not going to show up on the Safeway shelf. No offense to Safeway."

Bryan Baltzell of Great Divide Brewing in Denver also credits proximity and personal relationships with fostering the state's beer culture, and laments the potential loss.

"We can go down to Joe's Liquors, meet Joe, invite him to Great Divide and show him what a great product we make," Baltzell says. "The chain stores are more bottom-line driven. If we're not known to a chain store, if we don't advertise on the Super Bowl, we're not known. We're not welcome in their stores."

Fast-forward to a future Colorado where you can buy full-strength beer at grocery and convenience stores. Can you find Great Divide's Denver Pale Ale? One would...