'Big Beer' Wins a Round in SB 1714

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

For those of you here on the Borg that do not know what SB 1714 is, it is a measure basically wanting to require craft brewers to sell their beer to a beer distributor and then make them buy it back from the distributor to sell at their own breweries. Here is a link outlining how 'Big Beer' won a round today in this legislative battle. Not a great start for the craft breweries.

http://www.politicalfixflorida.com/2014 ... breweries/

[mashani]

That's a crock of horse shit.

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

That's a crock of horse shit.

I 1,000% agree. I'm not even sure who in their right mind would think this is even right from any point of view. Well, other than the distributors and added sales tax that would be accrued of course.

[Gymrat]

Looks like small businesses moving out of Florida to me.

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

Looks like small businesses moving out of Florida to me.

I know I've kicked that idea around with my parents up in North Carolina. Beer laws seem a little more "lax" there and easier to get things going, as far as a brewery is concerned. Plus, they have self distribution to begin with.

[Gymrat]

Kansas just made it easier for craft brewery's to expand. We just passed a law that defines a craft brewer as one who produces 30,000 barrels or less a year as opposed to 15,000 barrels or less a year. This leaves room for our small brewers to expand more before their taxes go through the roof. There is also a bill on the governor's desk right now making it legal for home brewers to enter contests and share our beer with our friends.

[jimjohson]

That's a crock of horse shit.

I 1,000% agree. I'm not even sure who in their right mind would think this is even right from any point of view. Well, other than the distributors and added sales tax that would be accrued of course.

"Right" got nothing to do with it. It's about who's getting coin put in their pocket!

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

That's a crock of horse shit.

I 1,000% agree. I'm not even sure who in their right mind would think this is even right from any point of view. Well, other than the distributors and added sales tax that would be accrued of course.

"Right" got nothing to do with it. It's about who's getting coin put in their pocket!

Exactly.

Sad when breweries employee people in the community (creating jobs), spend money in the community (drive local revenue) and pay taxes in the state already. Yeah, let's make a law where a brewery makes their own beer, then has to sell it to someone else and then buy it back to make any money off of it. All it does is drive prices up overall and hurts businesses overall in the community.

[philm00x]

For Florida being a state where laws for most things are very lax, they sure are making it hard for craft beer to grow. Greedy politicians... grr!

[Brewbirds]

Jeeze!!! Next up ... when, how and who you MUST call to properly flush a toilet, cook a roast, bake a cupcake, change your oil....

And Scotus didn't help you a bit with unlimited campaign spending.

That is going to be death to the little guy.

[Chuck N]

I'm pretty sure that Minnesota already has a law in place similar to this. I believe the cut-off is 30,000 barrels a years before a brewery is no longer considered a micro-brewery. Under that they are allowed to sell "on-sale" and growlers. But it hasn't always been that way. Many years ago some guys tried to start up a brew-pub in Mankato. They had to sell their beer to the distributor and then buy it back and then they could sell it to the public. Regardless the size of the brewery I think it's a stupid law as long as they're selling only on their premises.

[berryman]

Come on guys these are our elected officials/government we are talking about, they are doing the best for our interest, they must know what's best for us and we all keep voting them in because they do such a good job. In reality most of our congressmen have no clue what it's like being an average citizen and what we all do to survive and try to get a little ahead. Make laws like this one in question to help line their pockets and it hurts the small businesses, oh well, but yet be all too free handing out working tax payers moneys for those that don't work and contribute, but gets them the votes they need to get re-elected.

"Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am
Stuck in the middle with you."
Stealers Wheel

[jimjohson]

Come on guys these are our elected officials/government we are talking about, they are doing the best for our interest, they must know what's best for us and we all keep voting them in because they do such a good job. In reality most of our congressmen have no clue what it's like being an average citizen and what we all do to survive and try to get a little ahead. Make laws like this one in question to help line their pockets and it hurts the small businesses, oh well, but yet be all too free handing out working tax payers moneys for those that don't work and contribute, but gets them the votes they need to get re-elected.

"Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am
Stuck in the middle with you."
Stealers Wheel

could you keep a straight face when you typed that??

[DaYooper]

I think a lot of this has to do with a brewery not being able to own bars like in Europe. Otherwise, you wouid have Miller bars, Budweiser bars, etc, and they would lock everyone else out. With a little nit picking it looks like they are trying to twist this around. Breweries arent supposed to own distributors either but we all know who's back pocket they are in since if a distributor pisses off BigSwill they wont get to distribute what the masses crave.

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

I think a lot of this has to do with a brewery not being able to own bars like in Europe. Otherwise, you wouid have Miller bars, Budweiser bars, etc, and they would lock everyone else out. With a little nit picking it looks like they are trying to twist this around. Breweries arent supposed to own distributors either but we all know who's back pocket they are in since if a distributor pisses off BigSwill they wont get to distribute what the masses crave.

Very true there actually. There are some states however, like North Carolina, where breweries are allowed to self distribute their beer. I'm not sure of the entire list, I know this as my parents are there and they have been looking into all the beer laws there for us. Florida has a lot of laws, red tape and hoops you have to navigate when it comes to alcohol of any kind. Like Phil said, we're lax on a lot of laws, apparently beer/liquor is not one of them I have been finding out first hand.

Now with these new laws they want to pass, they will drive people out of the state looking to open breweries. Maybe that's what they want overall, I'm not 100% sure.