Texas Craft Brewers Guild Files Bills for 2013 Legislature

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Bitch Beer Blog in ATX Beer, Beer Laws, Breweries, Choose your Bitch Beer, Craft Beers, Dallas Beer // 3 Comments

It was announced earlier this week on Open the Taps’ blog that the Texas Craft Brewers Guild had made some headway in their negotiations with beer industry interest groups regarding the stifling laws placed on beer in the state of Texas. They filed a package of bills for the 2013 legislature and Open the Taps will be working with the Senate Business and Commerce Committee and the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures.

Here is an outline of what the bills would mean:

Brewpubs

-Brewpubs would be able to raise their production limit from 5,000 barrels to 12,500 barrels.

-They would be allowed to self-distribute up to 1,000 barrels

-They’ll be allowed to sell to retail through distributors

-Required TABC reporting

-Required reporting of territorial assignments to distributors

Microbrewery/On Premise sales

-They would be allowed to directly sell up to 5,000 barrels

-On premise sales to consumers would be set at 225,000 barrels

Distribution

-Self-distribution would be set at 125,000 barrels (up from 75,000 barrels)

-Lowers self-distribution threshold to 40,000 barrels

A 2012 economic study on Texas craft brewers showed that they bring in about $608 million a year and account for 51.2 percent of all brewery jobs in Texas. Scott Metzger (UT-San Antonio Economics professor and, you know, founder and CEO of Freetail Brewing) wrote the study and reported that in eight years Texas craft brewers would bring $5.6 billion.

And that is without any of the bills listed above. Just imagine how much it could be if these bills were passed. Metzger himself said,

“Truly, the economic impact of Texas’ independent craft beer industry measured in this study is the tip of the iceberg. Given consumer demand and planned increases in capacity, a tremendous opportunity exists for ongoing and future growth—provided legislation may be passed allowing Texas’ craft brewers the same access to market enjoyed by brewers in other states and by the Texas wine industry.”

The House and the Senate have begun reviewing bills and we recommend keeping a close eye on Open the Taps twitter and Facebook page for updates.

-Kat