ABC Board Apologizes for Liquor Distribution Delays

Alabama's ABC administrator apologized after a warehouse transition disrupted liquor supply to bars, restaurants and package stores statewide.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Beer

Isometric editorial illustration of an empty warehouse with bare pallet racks and a few unlabeled cases, in slate blue and cream, suggesting a stalled supply system. — Alabama ABC Administrator Curtis Stewart apologized as a warehouse move left bars, restaurants and package stores short of liquor for months. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Alabama privatize its state liquor store system?

Alabama ABC administrator Curtis Stewart apologized for recent liquor distribution problems that have left businesses short of product for months. The issues stem from the Board's move into a new, large warehouse in Montgomery after closing its old facility on September 28.

Why it matters

Alabama is one of 17 alcohol control states, so ABC wholesale stores are the sole channel through which many bars, restaurants and package stores obtain spirits. Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has called for privatizing the agency, putting the distribution failures at the center of a broader debate.

Alabama is one of 17 alcohol control states, where the state ABC Board handles wholesale liquor distribution. Products from Dread River Distilling reportedly remained in the old warehouse for about 11 weeks, and the total number of affected businesses has not been reported.

The players

Curtis Stewart

Administrator of the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, who publicly apologized for the distribution problems.

Arthur Orr

Republican state senator representing Decatur in the Alabama Legislature, who called for privatizing the ABC system on X.

The details

Restaurants, bars and package stores buy liquor and spirits through ABC wholesale stores, and businesses have reported product unavailability at those locations for months. Some products from Dread River Distilling of Birmingham reportedly sat unmoved in the old warehouse for about 11 weeks.

September 28: ABC closed its old Montgomery warehouse.
Last couple of months: Businesses reported lack of product availability at ABC wholesale stores.
Friday, November 7, 2026: Stewart issued the apology for the distribution issues.

Market Landscape

Alabama operates within a group of 17 alcohol control states that use state-run wholesale systems rather than private distributors. The current disruption renews questions about whether that model can reliably serve licensed bars, restaurants and package stores.

Bars, restaurants and package stores in Alabama may face limited product selection until ABC distribution stabilizes. Consumers could see fewer spirits and beers available at retail locations that depend on ABC wholesale stock.

The takeaway

Businesses that rely on ABC wholesale stock should plan for possible shortages while the warehouse transition is completed. The episode highlights how a single operational change in a state-controlled system can ripple across an entire sector.