E-Malt.com News article: USA, OH: Lawmaker reintroduces bill to encourage business growth in Ohio craft beer industry

Rep. Dan Ramos, D-Lorain, has reintroduced a bill into the legislature that he says will encourage business growth and create more choices for brewers and consumers, Akron Legal News reported on January 9.

House Bill 391 would allow brewers to produce and sell beer containing up to 21% alcohol by volume.

The bill, which Ramos originally introduced in the last General Assembly as House Bill 356, will help “spur economic development in Ohio’s growing brewing industry,” the lawmaker said in a statement.

“The brewing industry is one of the few sectors that continued to experience growth through the recession,” he said. “It is time Ohio abandons unnecessary regulations that put us at a competitive disadvantage with other states and do whatever we can to encourage the further growth of these businesses.”

Under current Ohio law, beer produced or sold in the state is restricted to 12 percent ABV.

Ohio last raised its ABV cap in 2002, from 6 percent to 12 percent alcohol by volume.

Ramos said craft brewers currently provide an estimated 108,000 jobs nationally and the industry has seen double-digit growth over much of the last decade, with more breweries operating in 2012 than at any time since the 1880s.

To target Ohio’s brewers for further economic development, Ramos said the bill calls for a one-year delay period to allow in-state businesses to create products in the 12 to 21 percent category in order to compete with out-of state breweries that sell similar products.

“With other higher-proof options already available on Ohio’s store shelves, often at a cheaper cost to the consumer, this archaic government regulation just doesn’t make sense,” he said.

“It needlessly holds back Ohio brewers from having the freedom to experiment with new products, a restriction not faced by brewers in neighboring states.”

Nationally, Ramos said fewer than 10 states limit the allowable ABV in beer and of Ohio’s neighboring states, only West Virginia has a set maximum.

Ramos went on to note that the bill’s provisions have gained support since HB 356 was introduced.

HB 356 had eight co-sponsors while HB 391 has gained support from 20 lawmakers.

The bill is awaiting a committee assignment.


10 January, 2014