So why was Coors beer illegal east of Texas?

[Queasy]

Watching Smokey & the Bandit on AMC and I'm trying to remember why Coors was illegal east of Texas at one point....

 

[brigden]

Because it tastes like shite.

 

[Gibsons]

I think it was just something stupid like not having bought licences or whatever to be distributed in some states. But I really don't know for sure.

 

[Legendary]

For our own protection?

 

[Ninepepper]

quite simple really $$Taxes$$

you still can't get in your own 18 wheeler and move that much beer between states

they will throw you in the poky big time

 

[Vic]

Coors was never illegal in eastern states. It just wasn't sold there. A lot of products are (or have been) regional. If an individual from the east coast traveled to the west coast, and brought home a case of Coors on the way back, that would have been legal. If someone loaded up a semi-trailer full of ANY beer for unlawful distribution (meaning taxes not paid), that would be bootlegging.


edit: doh! Ninepepper beat me to it. :beer:

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

In those days Coors was not sold east of Texas out of concerns for whether it would retain its freshness if shipped that far outside of a refrigerator (I know it's almost unbelievable considering what pisswater it is). My dad was a Coors drinker in the '70s, and when we moved to Minnesota he brought a bunch in the car because it was unavailable in the midwest.

 

[Vic]

Coors may be pisswater (it is), but it's not the worst beer I've ever had. That award goes to my hometown brew, whose 20-story brewery used to dominate the skyline, namely Lucky Lager. Thank God they tore that brewery down (not that the town looks any better). But that's another beer that was never seen on the east coast (and you east-coaster should feel thankful).

Changing the subject , anyone know my hometown, what was special about a Lucky Lager bottle cap, and what Brad Pitt movie had Lucky Lager in it?

 

[SethK28]

Originally posted by: Vic
Coors was never illegal in eastern states. It just wasn't sold there. A lot of products are (or have been) regional. If an individual from the east coast traveled to the west coast, and brought home a case of Coors on the way back, that would have been legal. If someone loaded up a semi-trailer full of ANY beer for unlawful distribution (meaning taxes not paid), that would be bootlegging.


edit: doh! Ninepepper beat me to it. :beer:

Technically transporting booze/cigs etc across state lines is a violation of The Interstate Commerce Act.

 

[shilala]

Amazing fact...
Coors cans from that era had two circles in the top. One was small, one was larger and they were on opposing sides of the lid.
You were supposed to use a special opener to pop in the little circles, but most guys used their thumbs.
Inevitably, your thumb would be cut damn near off when you pushed too hard. Fortunately you were holding a beer to ease the pain.
The circles of aluminum also commonly became unattached from the top of the can and ended up in the beer. Many of them were drank prompting many choking episodes and trips to the hospital.
Those were the good old days when marketeers were rewarded for stupidity.
That is all.

 

[MetalMat]

HEY HEY HEY

I like coors light!!!

:beer:

 

[ZeroEffect]

that's a big 10-4!