HB 2436 /SB 1575

What would HB 2436/SB 1575 do? It would let breweries of a certain size (under 75k barrels) to sell directly to the consumers. It would allow these breweries to have real tasting rooms (bars) selling beer for off-premises and/or on-premises quaffing.

Earlier today, I sat down with a Chip McElroy of Live Oak to discuss HB 2436/SB 1575. Actually we just talked on the phone. I was sitting down, not sure about Chip.

Chip said that this is primarily a marketing issue. It would be a great tool for reaching

potential new customers and helping test possible new products. Sales would be made face to face, with the people who actually made the beer. In addition to the marketing aspect, the bill would open up a new revenue stream, which does not currently exist. Still though, most of their beer would not be sold at the brewery. The vast majority of sales would still be made at third party outlets, via wholesalers. And this, Chip pointed out, is a very important feature of the bill: Allows for sales at breweries without threatening the three tier system. Similar bills have been introduced in the past two sessions, but Chip and co. have a lot of confidence in this "tight, clean" bill

.

You are probably thinking, "What can I do?" Easy, contact a committee member. Before contacting, gather a handful of talking points from Scott Metzger's ECONOMIC IMPACT AND POTENTIAL OF THE TEXAS CRAFT BREWING INDUSTRY.

(512) Brewing posted this handy contact list for us:

CALL/FAX/EMAIL SUPPORT TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

House Licensing and Administrative Procedures

Representative Mike Hamilton (chairman)

phone number (512) 463-0412

fax number (512) 463-1915

Website http://bit.ly/h6ObWp

Representative Chente Quintanilla (vice chairman)

phone number (512) 463-0613

fax number (512) 463-1237

Website http://bit.ly/eFSJYX

Representative Joe Driver

phone number (512) 463-0574

fax number (512) 463-1481

Website http://bit.ly/hzRnKP

Representative Charlie Geren

phone number (512) 463-0610

fax number (512) 463-8310

Website http://bit.ly/hHLk1w

Representative Roland Gutierrez

phone number (512) 463-0452

fax number (512) 463-1447

Website http://bit.ly/hgBqoG

Representative Patricia Harless

phone number (512) 463-0496

fax number (512) 463-1507

Website http://bit.ly/fAzz2b

Representative John Kuempel

phone number (512) 463-0602

fax number (512) 480-0391

Website http://bit.ly/fcEqJX

Representative Jose Menendez

phone number (512) 463-0634

fax number (512) 463-7668

Website http://bit.ly/h3qiMp

Representative Senfronia Thompson

phone number (512) 463-0720

fax number (512) 463-6306

Website http://bit.ly/gaMwf1