Virginia Allows Breweries To Sell On Premise

House Bill 359 (McClellan) allows manufacturers to lease space in their brewhouses to smaller-scale brewers and Senate Bill 604 (McWaters) allows retail sales of beer and sampling on the premises of Virginia breweries. The governor was joined by legislators, brewers from around the state, distributors, representatives from the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, representatives from the Virginia Manufacturers Association, commissioner of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Neal Insley, and representatives from the Virginia Tourism Commission. After the bill signing the governor helped unveil a new logo for craft beer from the Virginia Tourism Commission “Virginia is for craft beer Lovers.” Virginia currently has 44 licensed breweries.

From BeerNews.org. It sure would be nice if Texas was as supportive to Texas breweries and they are of Belgian Breweries.

Another Government Official In Favor of Local Jobs - Too Bad He's in Minnesota

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak just signed legislation that would allow city breweries to sell beer at their taprooms.  This somes on the heels of a a state law that leaves the decision in the hands of each city.  Earlier, St. Paul had enacted similar legislation.

“We’re making it easier for Minnesota beer drinkers to drink Minnesota beer and create jobs here,” Rybak said. “Sales of pints on site will also grow the local beer economy by lowering the barriers for entry for new breweries, which will allow them to hit the ground running. And it complements Minneapolis’ burgeoning local food economy that is creating new businesses and even more jobs.”

I wonder if we'll ever get such a forward thinking politician in Texas.
Join Open the Taps and let's see if we can make it happen.

Open The Taps

I have been thinking it was time to see just who the government is supposed to represent.  When politicians come calling hat in hand for votes, they are full of promises and big talk about doing what we want.  However, when they get to Austin or Washington, they start cashing checks from lobbyists and start doing what big corporations want instead of what we want.

In the wake of the deaths of HB660 and HB602, I mused that perhaps it was time for a group of craft beer lovers to band together and create a consumer lobbying group.  I even started thinking about starting one myself, but quickly realized that I don't like going to home brew club meetings, so I'd hate setting something like that up.

Fortunately, Ted Duchesne, of the Barley Vine blog, has stepped up and started Open The Taps, with the intent of adding a fourth tier—consumers—to Texas' Three Tier System.

Follow them on Twitter.  Like them on Facebook.  Sign up for their newsletter.  When the link is up, donate.

Unless you like living under our AB InBev overlords. . .