Strohs Beer: Availability In Jefferson County, Wv

Stroh's Beer is a light and refreshing lager first brewed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1850 by German immigrant Bernhard Stroh. The Stroh Brewery Company has since been taken over and broken up, but the Stroh's brand is still owned and marketed by Pabst Brewing Company, except in Canada, where it is owned by Sleeman Breweries. West Virginia has complex alcohol laws, prohibiting the consumption of intoxicating liquors in public places, but allowing the sale of beer and wine in general, privately-owned retail stores.

Stroh's Beer Store

Stroh's Beer is a unique, full-bodied American lager with a craft brew pedigree. It is enriched with pungent and pleasing hop varieties usually found only in craft brews, giving it a distinct and distinguished taste. The beer is brewed with a preponderance of Cascade and Willamette hops from the great Northwest, setting it apart from the usual lager taste profile in flavour, but not in alcohol.

Stroh's Beer has a long and interesting history, dating back to 1850 when Bernhard Stroh, an entrepreneur who had emigrated from Germany to Detroit, started brewing beer from his old family recipe. This new take on the Bohemian-style Pilsner was a light and refreshing lager, brewed in copper kettles in his basement. Over the years, the Stroh Brewery Company expanded and diversified, producing or buying the rights to several other brands and even manufacturing Stroh's Ice Cream. However, the company faced challenges and was eventually taken over and broken up in 2000, with the Stroh's brand being acquired by Pabst Brewing Company.

In terms of purchasing Stroh's Beer in Jefferson County, West Virginia, it is important to understand the alcohol laws of the state. While beer has been available in general, privately-owned retail stores since 1934, the specific availability of Stroh's Beer may vary by location. Online options are also available, with the official Stroh's Beer website currently offering a Black Friday sale with free shipping on orders over $75. Additionally, BeerMenus allows customers to sign up for email notifications when local businesses start carrying Stroh's Beer.

To ensure a steady supply of Stroh's Beer in Jefferson County, residents can encourage local privately-owned retail stores to stock the product. Additionally, with the growing popularity of craft beers, specialty beer shops or craft brew cultivators may be interested in carrying Stroh's Beer as a unique offering for their customers. By expressing interest and demand, individuals can increase the likelihood of finding Stroh's Beer in their local area.

Alcohol laws in West Virginia

The alcohol laws of West Virginia are more complex in theory than in practice, owing to a provision of the state constitution and "work-arounds" of its terms.

History of Alcohol Laws in West Virginia

The state constitution, Article VI, Section 46, repealed prohibition in 1934, but it prohibits the consumption of "intoxicating liquors" in a "saloon or other public place". Beer has been available in general, privately-owned, retail stores since this time. Wine was transferred from state-owned "ABC Stores" to private sale in 1981. Prior to 1990, liquor was only sold in these state-owned stores, but the state then withdrew from the retail liquor business and auctioned off permits to private businesses, who operate as "agents of the state".

Alcohol Sales in Bars and Restaurants

In 1937, the state redefined standard beer as "non-intoxicating beer" to permit its sale in bars and restaurants. All beer vendors to this day are legally selling "non-intoxicating beer".

Alcohol Sales in Private Clubs

Following World War II, there was a desire to provide for the sale of wine and liquor in private clubs, such as veteran's organizations, fraternal organizations, and golf and country clubs. In 1948, the state began licensing these clubs to sell alcohol, on the theory that these were not "public places".

Public Bars and Saloons

Despite the above work-around, state voters regularly rejected constitutional amendments to allow for public consumption of alcohol. In 1961, the state legislature found another "work-around" that short-circuited another vote. A new law provided for a new type of "private club", which, in actual practice, are simply public places. Patrons become "members" for one dollar with the purchase of their first drink. Technically, public bars and saloons remain illegal in the state to this day.

ABV% Cap

Prior to July 2009, non-intoxicating beer was defined as malt-based beverages containing at least 0.5% ABV and not more than 6% ABV. This effectively eliminated around two-thirds of all beer produced worldwide from being purchased in West Virginia. In 2009, the ABV% limit was raised to 12%, opening the West Virginia market to many more beers.

Sale Times

The retail sale of beer and wine is prohibited daily between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Retail sale of liquor is prohibited on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, and between midnight and 6:00 a.m each day. Private clubs must close by 3:30 a.m. and remain closed until 6:00 a.m each day. Taverns/bars must close by 2:30 a.m. and remain closed until 6:00 a.m each day.

Drinking Age and Dry Counties

The drinking age was 18 for beer/wine and 21 for liquor until 1972, when it was lowered to 18 for all beverages. It was then raised to 19 in 1983 (21 for non-residents) and 21 for all in 1986. There are no more dry counties in West Virginia, however, there is still one dry municipality: Brandonville. All counties are wet for off-premises consumption as of 2020.

Where to buy Stroh's beer

Stroh's Beer is a light and refreshing lager with a distinct taste, first brewed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1850 by German immigrant Bernhard Stroh. The Stroh Brewery Company was taken over and broken up in 2000, but the Stroh's brand is still owned and marketed by Pabst Brewing Company, except in Canada, where the rights are owned by Sleeman Breweries.

You can buy Stroh's Beer directly from the Pabst Brewing Company's online store, which offers free shipping on orders over $75. The Pabst website also features a Beer Locator tool, which may be able to help you find local vendors.

BeerMenus is another website that can help you find beer retailers near you. However, a search for Stroh's Beer on BeerMenus did not yield any results, so it may not be available in your county.

In West Virginia, the retail sale of beer and wine has been permitted in general, privately-owned stores since 1934. The sale of liquor is more restricted, with private businesses operating as "agents of the state" since 1990. The following businesses have been granted agency status in West Virginia: Rite-Aid, CVS, 7-Eleven, Sam's Club, Kroger, Par Mar Stores, and various privately-owned convenience stores, alcohol and tobacco shops, grocery stores, souvenir shops, and stand-alone liquor stores.

You must be 21 or over to purchase alcohol in West Virginia.

The Stroh Brewery Company

In 1865, Bernhard Stroh purchased additional land and expanded his business, adopting the heraldic lion emblem from the Kyrburg Castle in Kirn, Germany, where the Stroh family had brewed beer in an inn during the 18th century. He named his expanded operation the Lion's Head Brewery.

Upon Bernhard Stroh's death, his son, Bernhard Stroh Jr., took charge of the brewery, changing its name to the B. Stroh Brewing Company. With the introduction of pasteurization and refrigerated rail cars, Bernhard Jr. was able to ship his beer across the country, from Florida to Massachusetts. In 1893, Stroh Bohemian Beer won a blue ribbon at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

In 1902, the company's name was changed to The Stroh Brewery Company. Over the following decades, the company continued to grow and expand, purchasing neighbouring breweries and introducing new brands. By 1978, Stroh's served 17 states and produced 6.4 million US beer barrels (750,000 m3) of beer.

However, by the 1980s, Stroh's was facing increasing competition from larger brewers and began to lose market share. Despite efforts to diversify and expand internationally, the company continued to struggle financially. In 1999, it was announced that the Stroh Brewery Company was selling its labels to the Pabst Brewing Company and Miller Brewing Company, bringing an end to the family's centuries-old brewing tradition.

Today, the Pabst Brewing Company owns and markets the Stroh's brand, except in Canada, where the rights are held by Sleeman Breweries.

The history of Stroh's beer

The Stroh Brewery Company was a beer brewery in Detroit, Michigan. The company produced or bought the rights to several brands, including Goebel, Schaefer, Schlitz, and Lone Star, in addition to its own Stroh's brand. The Stroh family began brewing beer in a family-owned inn during the 18th century in Kirn, in the Rheinland-Pfalz region of western central Germany. In 1849, Bernhard Stroh, who had learned brewing from his father, emigrated to the United States. In 1850, he established his brewery in Detroit and started producing Bohemian-style pilsner, a light and refreshing lager brewed in copper kettles in his basement. He called the beer Stroh's.

Stroh's original beer-selling operation consisted of a basement brewing operation, with the beer then sold door-to-door from a wheelbarrow. Bernhard Stroh Jr. took over the brewery after his father's death, changing the name to the B. Stroh Brewing Company. With the introduction of pasteurization and refrigerated rail cars, Bernhard Jr. was able to ship his beer as far as Florida and Massachusetts. In 1893, Stroh Bohemian Beer won a blue ribbon at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The company's name was changed to The Stroh Brewery Company in 1902.

In 1905, Stroh's purchased the neighbouring Ruoff Brewery on Gratiot Avenue. In 1908, Bernhard Stroh's brother Julius Stroh took over the brewery. After touring famous European breweries, he introduced the European fire-brewing method to Stroh's. The fire-brewing process uses a direct flame to heat beer-filled copper kettles, and the company claimed that the higher temperatures brought out more of the beer's flavour. During Prohibition, Julius Stroh operated the business under the name The Stroh Products Company, producing near beer (beer with its alcohol extracted), birch beer, soft drinks, malt products, ice cream, and ice.

Upon Julius Stroh's death in 1939, his son Gari Stroh became president of the company. Gari's brother John succeeded him in 1950 and became chairman in 1967. Gari's son Peter, who had joined the company after graduating from Princeton University in 1951, became president in 1968. Under Peter Stroh's leadership, the company began targeting the national market, and by 1972, Stroh Brewery had entered the top 10 breweries in the country. Peter Stroh's willingness to depart from tradition introduced Stroh's to new markets, but these changes were not well-received by the company's fans and employees. Despite this, Peter Stroh continued to innovate, introducing a light beer, Stroh Light, and breaking with the company's tradition of family management by recruiting managers from outside the Stroh family.

By 1978, Stroh's was serving 17 states and producing 6.4 million US beer barrels. However, as the original Detroit facility was now 128 years old, the company recognised the need for a new brewery to efficiently serve new markets in the East. In the 1980s, Stroh's bid for and acquired the struggling Schlitz Brewing Company, becoming the third-largest brewing enterprise in America. However, the heavy debt burden from this acquisition, coupled with increased competition from larger brewers, led to a decline in Stroh's market share and profit margins. After failed attempts to sell the company to Coors, Stroh's began laying off employees and sought to address its cash flow problems through real estate development and diversification into other beverages. These efforts were largely unsuccessful, and the company continued to lose market share to its larger competitors.

In 1999, the end came for the 149-year-old brewer, as it announced it was selling its labels to the Pabst Brewing Company and Miller Brewing Company. John Stroh III, the company's president and chief executive, lamented the decision, acknowledging the impact on employees and the end of the family's centuries-old brewing tradition. The Pabst Brewing Company currently owns and markets the Stroh's brand, except in Canada, where the rights are held by Sleeman Breweries.

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