Earlier this week, the
Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission released an
advisory (PDF) on the status of the farmer-brewer's license when they
denied small craft
brewer Idle Hands' application. The
farmer-brewer's license has long been used by small (under 5,000 barrels/year) brewers as a cheaper alternative to the state's otherwise manufacturer's license. Even larger breweries, like Boston Beer Co., brewer of
Samuel Adams, use it as it allows for on-site tastings. With the new advisory requiring that 50% of hops and grains be locally grown in Massachusetts, small brewers are
worried about the fate of their businesses - without the ability to sell on premises, offer tastings, or self-distribute, many of the state's microbrews and brew pubs will no longer be
able to operate. A meeting with the state treasurer, who oversees the ABCC,
is planned.
posted by robocop is bleeding
on Aug 4, 2011 -
37 comments
