E-Malt.com News article: USA, PA: Bill would allow small breweries to expand sales

Pennsylvania customers can already purchase wine at some farmers markets, and they could add craft beer to their shopping lists under a proposal in the state House, readingeagle.com reported on June, 11.

Sponsored by Rep. Dante Santoni Jr., a Reading Democrat, the bill would allow craft breweries to offer tastings and sell up to two six-packs at farmers markets and food expos.

The move could help craft brewers grow their business, Santoni said. Craft breweries are small, independent operations that produce much less beer than big-name breweries.

"It's a niche market and it's growing," said Santoni, the Democratic chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee. "We're trying to help."

Special permits would be available only to breweries that produce less than 25,000 barrels of beer a year, companies that don't have the advertising or public relations budgets of larger corporations, he said.

"We just felt that it was important to focus on the smaller guys," Santoni said.

There are 110 licensed breweries in Pennsylvania and about 70 percent are small enough to sell beer at farmers markets under the proposal, Santoni said.

That includes Stoudt's Brewery in Adamstown.

Ed Stoudt, who owns the brewery with his wife, Carol, said he's in favor of relaxing some of Pennsylvania's liquor laws.

"If it's done for wine, I don't know why it can't be done for beer," he said.

Stoudt said he doesn't know if the brewery would sell its beer at farmers markets, but it is a possibility. Artisanal bread from a side business, Wonderful Good Market, is already sold at farmers markets, like the Shillington Farmers Market.

Woody Weist, owner of Leesport Farmers Market, also supports the bill.

"I think that's a great idea," he said. "It just goes with food. This is Berks County. People love beer."

Originally, the bill was drawn to allow beer sales by the case, but the amount was lowered to 12 bottles, or two six packs, to prevent breweries from competing with beer distributors, Santoni said.

But Mike Garner, owner/operator of The Beer Mart, Reading, said that while beer distributors' hands are tied with laws, this bill is another way that rules are being relaxed for others. Garner said he wants to learn more about the proposal before taking a stand.

The idea for craft beer sales at farmers markets came from a Pittsburgh-area constituent of one of Santoni's colleagues, Santoni said.

"We were thinking about how we can help the craft beer industry," Santoni said. "We thought, 'Why don't we offer the same opportunities that we offer to wineries?' "

The bill recently moved out of the House Liquor Control Committee and will be up for consideration by the full House.


13 June, 2012