Shelton Brothers Sues New York
Shelton Brothers, for whom I spent a whole day pouring beer, is suing the state of New York. The reason? The state’s not allowing the company to distribute beers with labels deemed too attractive to children. The banned beers are Rudolph’s Revenge Winter Ale, Seriously Bad Elf Double Ale, and Santa’s Butt Winter Porter.
The company is framing the issue as a violation of freedom of speech and the state’s liquor laws (though I’m not sure in what capacity). The suit points out that there are many other Christmas-themed beers allowed in New York and that the Liquor Authority is targeting a label that wouldn’t be appealing to teenagers. After all, Santa is more appealing to toddlers and young chilren rather than the kids who would be causing the real problems.
Dec. 3, 2006 Update: Shelton Brothers sues Maine for the exact same thing. Yeah, I didn’t feel like writing a whole new blog entry.
