November 8, 2007
Don't Call it a Comeback...
Bell's beer fans don't start celebrating just yet, but Larry Bell himself weighed in on the Beer Advocate forums yesterday about a possible return to Chicago.
"Bell's continues to work on a way to return to Illinois... I have had discussions with other wholesalers and there is a possibility that we would return, but not with any brand we currently produce... Chicago is my home town and I would love to sell beer there again. It IS being worked on, so please be patient."
So what does this mean? If a search of permit applications at the Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is any indication it means that, if all things go well, come December we'll be seeing "Kalamazoo IPA", "Kalamazoo Porter" and "Kalamazoo Royal Amber Ale" (with the caveat "Brewed and bottled by Bell's Brewery" on the label) on shelves in limited areas of the city. In the Beer Advocate thread, Bell still stressed that National Wine and Spirits, which still holds on to their distribution rights after Bell's pulled out of Illinois last year, plans to sue Bell's and any new wholesaler upon point of re-entry, so this is far from a done deal.
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oh please, oh please, oh please let them come back to chicago!!!!!!!
yeah bell's amber makes life worth living. though it looks like bell's amber is not included in this deal.
Um, matty: if this goes down then, technically, no "Bell's" selection will be offered. The labeling and permits is a loophole they're trying to use to get back into the market without outright calling it Bell's.
well that is just stupid. brew the same beer and call it something else? what is wrong with this state.
As a ranking interim - since 2005- member of The Central Committee of the Logan Square Draught Preservation Society, I had chance to speak with Mr. Bells at length.
Indeed Budwieser strong arms small distributorships out of Chicago Public Draft Houses in the fashion of Al Capon and The Daley Machine. I am not at liberty to speak for The Central Committee, but I hope Chicagoist will follow this situation closely as much is at stake!
Yak pobachu pyvo, ne proidu mymo! - "I will not walk past a beer, when I see it near!"
Are those labels real? As a native of Kalamazoo, I miss Bell's dearly, and love the local landmarks on those labels.
My wife and I enjoyed Bell's for the first time in the U.P. this spring. I had no idea that this was the reason why I could not find Bell's beer anywhere in this city. I would absolutely love it if Larry could pull this one off.
The big winner in all of this? Shiner Bock of Shiner, TX. They picked the perfect time to come here, and while I miss Bell's I must admit that with Shiner around, I kind of forgot that Bell's was gone.
Shiner was going to find a market regardless of whether Bell's was still in Chicago or not, solely because of the name recognition. See "Fat Tire" as another example.
The breweries that really capitalized on Bell's leaving Illinois were fellow Michigan breweries New Holland and Founders. Mad Hatter IPA made for a suitable replacement for Bell's Two-Hearted.
I can't stand Fat Tire, it tast like beer gone bad
Larry knows the regulations involved in selling alcohol. He's just a tad bit greedy when it comes to shelf space. Larry chose to leave Chicago and the rest of Illinois for that matter since his distributorship was possibly going to change and was afraid that he would not be able too keep all of his great styles of beers on your local liquor store's shelf. He could have stayed and seen what cards he was dealt but it was Larry's decission in the end to leave us, he was not forced out.
Yes, I do miss some of Bell's beers but as Chuck pointed out we have had plenty of other worthy brewers come to town to take over Bell's shelf space and tap handles.
Your link goes to an old thread on BA. Here's what Larry really posted yesterday:
Bell's is currently in negotiations with two wholesalers to bring beer into Illinois. These two wholesalers would cover a very specific territory and distribution would not cover the entire city of Chicago. Initially, a handful of draft accounts will be started. At that time we expect to be sued by National Wines and Spirits of Indianapolis to stop distribution. The Executive VP of NWS has told me he intends to make a lawsuit as lengthy and as costly as possible. It will be up to the judge. So.. we may be back as Kalamazoo, we may be back as some other name, or we may not be back at all. Thank you to all who have been driving to Woodman's and others in WI, IN and southern Michigan