Alabama Liquor Costs About to Go Up?

Hold onto your hats, ChumCity boozehounds! Last Thursday, the Alabama ABC Board slapped a new fee on liquor stores, hiking up what they pay to store their product.

What's This About?

The ABC Board, after some hemming and hawing, voted to raise the bailment fee from 72 cents to a buck per case. This means liquor stores will shell out more to keep their cases chilling in the ABC warehouse.

The Nitty Gritty

Initially, there was talk of jacking the fee up to $1.50 by 2028. But cooler heads prevailed, and they settled on a smaller, 28-cent bump starting January 1. Don't get too comfy, though, they're planning to revisit those extra increases in just "eight or nine months."

Why the Pricey Warehouse?

The ABC Board is building a shiny new $98 million warehouse in Montgomery, because apparently, their current digs are too cramped. They're claiming this fee hike will help foot the bill.

Who's Gonna Pay?

It's anyone's guess if this will impact the price of your favorite brew. Some folks are saying it won't make a difference, while others are predicting it'll hit consumers right in the wallet. The ABC Board says it's about two cents per bottle, but it's up to retailers to eat the cost or pass it on.

Lawmakers are Riled!

Some lawmakers are not happy about this whole situation. They're saying the ABC Board kept them in the dark about using the fee to pay for the new warehouse. One senator even claimed the Legislature would have axed the project if they'd known! Talk about a buzzkill.