[nateo]

I don't really have a problem with banning sale of distribution rights, but it makes no sense at all to ban breweries from selling those rights, but allowing distributors to turn around and sell them after breweries give them away.

[reverseapachemaster]

I deplore that they have tied all the bills together but I think on balance we are better off seeing the whole package passed than the whole thing fail. Brewpubs will get a chance to distribute, which hopefully will encourage growth of more brewpubs in the state, and production brewers will be able to sell a limited amount of beer on site. For the brewers as a whole I think that's a bigger win than the loss on the distribution rights issue.

The craft brewers are already planning a judicial attack on 639 after it goes into effect. I'm not sure they will win the day on that one considering the storied history of monied influence on the state judiciary but they can always try to fix it through the legislature.

[dcbc]

I like Jester King's response to all of it.  Switch over to a brewpub license.  Cap production at 10,000 bbls per year, self distribute 1,000 bbls per year, and have a distributor sell the rest.  I think they were at 1,400 bbls last year.  Now they can charge for beer in the tasting room and sell bottles to go.  Their model, with lots of barrel aging, really lends itself to this. 

[reverseapachemaster]

I like Jester King's response to all of it.  Switch over to a brewpub license.  Cap production at 10,000 bbls per year, self distribute 1,000 bbls per year, and have a distributor sell the rest.  I think they were at 1,400 bbls last year.  Now they can charge for beer in the tasting room and sell bottles to go.  Their model, with lots of barrel aging, really lends itself to this.

Hops and Grain did the same thing. It makes a lot of sense.