Lawmaker Makes 11th Hour Effort to Advance Craft Beer Distribution Bill

One state lawmaker is making a last ditch effort to give craft brewers a break from restrictive distribution laws.

Rep. John Bradford, R-Mecklenburg, on Monday said he wants to reach a compromise on House Bill 500, which was gutted last week of a provision that would have lifted the cap on the 25,000 barrels craft brewers are allowed to self-distribute each year.

Any product over that threshold must be sold through a wholesaler.

The bill would have raised the limit to 200,000 barrels each year.

“I want to invite you to the table,” Bradford said to the Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association during a press conference. “And I hope you’ll send your most reasonable person into the room, because I think if we get into the room we can really sit down and work through it.”

Olde Mecklenburg, NoDa, and Red Oak breweries are slotted to reach the 25,000 barrel cap this year.

If lawmakers, craft brewers, and the Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association don’t compromise on the issue this session, a lawsuit will follow, promised John Marrino, owner of Olde Meck.

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(Source: https://www.carolinajournal.com/news-article/lawmaker-makes-11th-hour-effort-to-advance-craft-beer-bill/)

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