An “historic coalition,” as its being billed, took center stage at the Montana Brewers Association Fall Conference in October in Missoula to discuss a proposed bill to allow license stacking in the alcohol industry. The bill, expected to be introduced at the 2015 Montana Legislative Session, would effectively allow breweries to directly purchase a retail…
Representative Roger Hagan won’t be taking up the charge against Montana’s brewery taprooms again when the Montana Legislature next convenes on January 5, 2015. Rep. Hagan lost his reelection bid Tuesday in the Republican primary election to challenger Randy Pinocci by a vote of 834-620. Hagen sponsored a bill during the 2013 Montana legislative many…
News broke this week that the Motley Fool deemed Montana the most “beer friendly state.” Predictably, beer centric blogs, trade associations and your average Montana beer lover tweeted the news or posted it on facebook with giddy abandon. Even local news outlets picked up the story. Factors used to rank the states for their beer…
With the sun about to set on 2013, it’s time to reflect on this year’s top beer-related stories. From new breweries to greater choices to a visit from a craft beer legend, there was plenty of beer news making waves during the past year. Read on for my take on the top stories in Montana…
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…
The Montana House Business and Labor Committee took executive action this morning on House Bill 616, which many have dubbed the “brewery killing bill.” At the request of the sponsor, Rep. Roger Hagan, the Committee voted unanimously to table the bill, thus effectively ending its consideration during the 63rd Legislative Session. Friday is the transmittal…
It wasn’t expected to be like this. Before the 63rd Montana Legislature convened on January 7, 2013, most observers predicted a quiet session for craft beer. The Department of Revenue had it’s brew-on-premise license proposal. A smattering of proposals to provide for true bottle shops and to change direct shipment rules lurked in the fine…
The Montana House Business and Labor Committee approved HJ 18 this morning by unanimous vote during executive action on the bill. HJ 18, a proposal originating from the Montana Brewers Association, would create an interim study committee to conduct a thorough examination of Montana’s alcohol laws. The study’s purpose would be to “identify recommendations to…
Two very different ideas were presented to the Montana House Business and Labor Committee this morning in a lengthy, civil hearing that drew tavern owners, brewers, barley growers, consumers and other industry members from around the state. The hearing on HB 616, the so-called “brewery killing bill,” sponsored by Rep. Roger Hagen, started out with…
Consider this, if you will: “Once considered nuisances, sources of noxious emissions and debasers of public morals, breweries now are being actively courted. Last May, Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) signed into law a measure that allows breweries to retail beer by the pint or growler in their tasting rooms instead of merely giving…