Legislator moves to hamstring craft brewers

[icarus]

State Rep. Ray Wesley Rodrigues of Fort Meyers introduced Bill 1329 in the Florida House of Representatives today to modify the laws governing Florida craft breweries. the law amongst other things seeks to:

1. Would finally permit craft breweries to sell the 64oz growler which has become the industry standard in almost every jurisdiction besides Florida; but would .....

2. Prevent craft breweries from selling gallon growlers and permit only the quart and newly authorized half gallon growler.

3. Prevents the sale of kegs, bottles or cans for off site consumption from the brewery.

4. Adds a new level of regulatory structure regarding the filling of growlers which on its face would seem to preclude anything but pre-filled growlers and would assuredly end the practice of refilling.

5. Prohibits any but current existing license holders from vending beer and establish a myriad of ways for grand fathered license holders to lose the privileges granted by the bill.

6.Would make it illegal for a brewery to hold a winery license ... no more cider.

for a full text version of the bill see: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2014/1329/BillText/__/PDF

This is a prime example of small business being stifled one lobbyist at a time.  I am not sure if a more anti-craft brewer bill could have been proposed.

Read up on the bill, let your legislator know your thoughts and post same ....

[Charles Hunter]

Did Budweiser write this bill?

[spuwho]

State Rep. Ray Wesley Rodrigues of Fort Meyers introduced Bill 1329 in the Florida House of Representatives today to modify the laws governing Florida craft breweries. the law amongst other things seeks to:

1. Would finally permit craft breweries to sell the 64oz growler which has become the industry standard in almost every jurisdiction besides Florida; but would .....

2. Prevent craft breweries from selling gallon growlers and permit only the quart and newly authorized half gallon growler.

3. Prevents the sale of kegs, bottles or cans for off site consumption from the brewery.

4. Adds a new level of regulatory structure regarding the filling of growlers which on its face would seem to preclude anything but pre-filled growlers and would assuredly end the practice of refilling.

5. Prohibits any but current existing license holders from vending beer and establish a myriad of ways for grand fathered license holders to lose the privileges granted by the bill.

6.Would make it illegal for a brewery to hold a winery license ... no more cider.

for a full text version of the bill see: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2014/1329/BillText/__/PDF

This is a prime example of small business being stifled one lobbyist at a time.  I am not sure if a more anti-craft brewer bill could have been proposed.

Read up on the bill, let your legislator know your thoughts and post same ....

I would like to hear from Intuition about this bill for some insight.

[icarus]

I imagine they have an opinion but I am expecting that we will hear comments from not only them but many others in the industry.

If you read the text, the proposed bill is even more draconian than that proposed for food trucks here. I find Bill 1329 purely indefensible and think everyone should educate themselves about how this bill and our legislature in general seems to work these days.

[Tacachale]

This is ridiculous. Unacceptably onerous for small businesses.

[jcjohnpaint]

Wait, he is a Rupublican and wants more regulation and government control>  I don't really understand.   

[spuwho]

Wait, he is a Rupublican and wants more regulation and government control>  I don't really understand.   

Doesn't matter when its a Republican or Democrat.

When someone wants protection, no party is immune to influence.

[mbwright]

This really creates an unfair marketplace.  This just as bad, or worse than banning the 22 oz bottles years ago.

[duvalbill]

There's no senate companion bill at this time, so this is probably much ado about nothing.

[Intuition Ale Works]

Did Budweiser write this bill?

The Anheuser Busch Wholesaler's lobbyist wrote this bill. His name is Mitch Rubin and works for the Florida Beer Wholesalers Association.

Our proposed changes to allow Florida breweries to sell 64 ounce growlers and to host tastings at grocery stores are supported by Miller, Coors and Budweiser.

Their wholesalers in the state of Florida are not as supportive.

The wholesalers want to make our taprooms illegal or at least not worth the investment in buildout and operation because it creates such little revenue.

[Intuition Ale Works]

There's no senate companion bill at this time, so this is probably much ado about nothing.

A Senate companion bill is in the works. The AB wholesalers play for keeps and it is never "much ado about nothing".

[fieldafm]

Did Budweiser write this bill?

The Anheuser Busch Wholesaler's lobbyist wrote this bill. His name is Mitch Rubin and works for the Florida Beer Wholesalers Association.

Our proposed changes to allow Florida breweries to sell 64 ounce growlers and to host tastings at grocery stores are supported by Miller, Coors and Budweiser.

Their wholesalers in the state of Florida are not as supportive.

The wholesalers want to make our taprooms illegal or at least not worth the investment in buildout and operation because it creates such little revenue.

The bolded part benefits the big breweries as well.

Seems like this bill is a wholesalers are trying to protect a draconian distribution system that is already monopoly-like.

[Overstreet]

Did Budweiser write this bill?

..............Their wholesalers in the state of Florida are not as supportive..............

Is this because craft beer companies don't distribute through the wholesalers?

[Intuition Ale Works]

Did Budweiser write this bill?

..............Their wholesalers in the state of Florida are not as supportive..............

Is this because craft beer companies don't distribute through the wholesalers?

Every brewery in the state of FLorida is required by law to use distrbutors

[icarus]

I, personally, don't see the big brewers reasoning for attacking the growlers specifically.  I may be out of line with my reasoning but the consumer purchasing a growler at the brewery is not going to suddenly buy a Budweiser because he can't buy a growler. If that were true, maybe, we should outlaw small vineyards so we could see the increased sales in Mad Dog 2020.