The Montana Senate’s Business, Labor and Economic Affairs committee will take up SB 202 at a hearing on Thursday, February 17, 2011, beginning at 9:00 a.m.  SB 202 (Senate Bill 202) would shift (not increase) the hours of operation for a tap room at a small brewery from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.  It would also clarify that all brewery samples must be consumed by 11:00 p.m. Unlike SB 203, which clarifies that non-brewery, on-premises retailers can fill growlers, this bill is expected to generate a fair amount of scrutiny, shall we say.

If you’d like to see Montana’s tap room hours shift, now is the time to contact your legislators and let them know what you think.