A recent op/ed at Forbes.com touted North Carolina for becoming a hub for the craft beer industry. The title of the article said it all: Politicians Foster A Craft Beer Renaissance By Not Acting Like Politicians.
Now there’s an idea.
As noted in the article, North Carolina now has 70 breweries, representing a 33 percent increase from only a year ago. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. chose North Carolina over a host of other suitors for its new east coast brewing facility. New Belgium Brewing did the same. Asheville, NC, is now well known as a craft beer destination along the likes of Portland, OR.
Oddly enough, an attempt to change state law to allow most retailers to fill growlers failed in 2012 after receiving opposition from brewers (who had exclusive rights to do so). Over the winter, brewers got on board and the state passed the law in June. The bill’s sponsor touted the ability for the state to create growler filling stations – thus supporting the craft beer industry – like those popular in other states.
North Carolina is also working to overhaul its tax structure to provide significant relief to its brewing industry. When the industry contributes to 65,000 jobs and $7 billion to the economy (the article cites to the Beer Institute for the info), you’ll do that sort of thing. (For the full Forbes op/ed, click here.)
South Carolina changed its laws this year to allow pint sales at breweries to help cultivate the state’s growing beer culture. While it wasn’t entirely smooth sailing, the various interests ultimately compromised on a bill to allow breweries to sell up to 48 ounces per person per day (sound familiar?). Fellow attorney and beer blogging friend Brook Bristow wrote the original bill and help spearhead the effort.
Heck, even Alabama and Mississippi finally legalized homebrewing this year.
These kind of efforts are being repeated across the U.S. at the state and federal level as legislators begin to recognize the significant economic impacts created by the craft brewing industry.
Well, most everywhere. It’s not true that Montana has the most restrictive brewery laws in the U.S., a phrase repeated often during the recent 2013 Montana Legislature. And as we watch other states finally allow broad-based growler fills and direct pint sales at breweries, it’s a good reminder that Montana has been ahead of the curve in several ways.
Yet, the 2013 Montana legislative session served mostly as a reminder that our Legislature isn’t ready to embrace, support and facilitate our nevertheless impressive craft beer culture.
Montana will grow the most barley of any state this year. Commercial hop growing trials have begun outside Kalispell. The number of Montana breweries will easily climb through 40 in the next several months.
Isn’t it time?
