We’ve seen some stupid beer regulations here in the past but this is unbelievable.

More than a dozen armed State Police officers conducted simultaneous raids last week on three popular Philadelphia bars known for their wide beer selections. The cops confiscated hundreds of bottles of expensive ales and lagers, now in State Police custody at an undisclosed location.

The alleged offense: Although the bar owners had bought the beer legally from licensed Pennsylvania distributors and had paid all the necessary taxes, the police claimed that nobody had registered the precise names of the beers with the state Liquor Control Board – a process that requires the brewers or their importers to pay a $75 registration fee for each product they want to sell in Pennsylvania.

Based on a complaint from someone the State Police refuse to identify, three teams of officers converged last Thursday on the three bars, run by Leigh Maida and her husband, Brendan Hartranft. Checking their inventories against the state’s official list of more than 2,800 brands, the cops seized four kegs and 317 bottles, totaling 60.9 gallons of beer, according to police calculations.

So, go ahead. You know that word you think is off-limits in terms of yelling at a person of authority or a police officer? Well, throw it at the Philadelphia police force and the person who ratted-out our beer friends in Philly. They deserve it. If you’re in the area, please show your support for Leigh Maida and Brendan Hartranft’s bars.

The Philadelphia Daily News — Troopers raid popular bars for unlicensed beers