Crazy beer laws that affect what is brewed and where it is brewed are cringe inducing headaches. But if you truly want a whopper of a migraine then the world of craft beer distribution is for you. The only comparable source of hope squelching frustration is the political fillibuster.
Ponder this: Kansas, Nevada, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma are required to sell their beer through a distributor.
Or chew on this: Brewpubs in Texas can only sell their beer in house. A distributor or retailer can’t even touch it.
Lastly: Shipping companies will ship wine any time of day but now seemed scared by someone or something from shipping your favorite brew.
I am not a big fan of a large federal government. What I am a fan of is uniform and level playing fields. Wanna know why you can get Deschutes and Rogue in California but not Surly? Oregon has enlightened (in comparison) distribution laws. Minnesota? Not so much.
Here is my modest proposal:
1. Beer and wine allowed to be shipped anywhere in the country. There is no reason why anybody should not be allowed to buy a beer from any state in the US.
2. Each state can tax it as they see fit. Let’s do the math. No beer shipped X state tax = ZERO. Any beer shipped X state tax = revenue.
3. Breweries should be allowed to choose whatever form of distribution they want. If they want to be small and distribute to a few local stores, they should be allowed to. If they want to Stone it up to national levels they should be given that choice.
Right now distributors and states are getting in the way. The goal is not political viability or creating monolithic distributorships. The goal is for the brewer to get the beer into the hands of the drinker.
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