Less than 24 hours after Growler Fills broke the news about the Montana Tavern Association’s proposed bill to enact disastrous limits on Montana’s breweries, the bill (LC 1322) has been put back on hold and, word has it, won’t be coming back.
[Note: as of 1-17-13, the title of the bill request has changed]

The bill would prohibit brewery tap rooms from selling more than 10% of their annual production at the brewery itself.  Since most Montana breweries sell far more than 10% of their production at tap rooms (several sell 100%), the bill would effectively force Montana’s breweries to switch to virtually all distribution – to be sold in the MTA’s member taverns.  It doesn’t take much to see bill was not intended to provide the taverns with more beer, but to eliminate Montana’s hugely successful tap rooms.

It is no secret the MTA has long been at odds with the breweries, largely thanks to Montana’s license quota system which fosters turf wars and competition between segments of the industry which should be working together.  Still, it was odd to see the MTA propose a bill with such significant consequences given the wild popularity of the Montana craft beer industry.

From casual beer drinkers to barely growers, the response was immediate – and not particularly kind.  Yesterday’s story was the most shared post out of our three-plus years of work and demonstrated how quickly social media can gather people around a common interest.  Stay tuned for continuing coverage of the 63rd Montana Legislature as well as plenty more craft beer news, events, and discussion.

For all our articles pertaining to the 2013 Montana Legislature, click here.