The lovely folks over at the PA Liquor Control Board have cracked down on Iron Hill Brewery’s customer loyalty program, the Mug Club. In a letter to Mug Club members announcing the state demanded changes:
Whether we agree with these decisions or not, or why after 10 years the Mug Club has become an issue, is not up to us to decide. What is important is finding a solution quickly and doing what’s best for our most loyal customers. We want to comply with all the laws and regulations in the states we operate but our primary focus is providing guests handcrafted beer, creative food and attentive service.
We are currently revising the club to meet the regulator’s demands. During the transition from one club to another, the Mug Club will continue to function but with some important changes, including:
Members can continue to drink from the Mug Club mug, but must pay the same price as non-club members, an additional 50 cents over the current price of a pint. The free eight ounces of beer that Mug Club members received was another major issue for the state….
For too long, the dirty hippy brewers at Iron Hill have been destroying our Great State’s morals, eroding our families, and killing our children by evilly rewarding their loyal customers with a very small discount. But no longer! The citizens of Pennsylvania may now rest easier, secure in the knowledge that no damn fool brewer can visit upon them the great moral outrage of giving away eight ounces of beer once in awhile. In related news, Miller Lite’s new “punch top” can, designed to make chugging your beer quicker and easier than ever, remains un-regulated by the state.
Can we please just fucking stop with this idiocy?
…don’t answer that.
520 Chestnut 
Liquor commissions are a dying breed. They’re fighting to try to look relevant.