Breweries push for bills to keep industry bubbling
The New Mexico brewery industry is in full-growth mode, and in this year’s legislative session the industry is looking to clean up some legislation to ensure that it continues to grow. One change the brewers are seeking, said Christopher Goblet, the “beer ambassador” for the New Mexico Brewers Guild, is changing the definition of a “packaging brewery” in SB 238.
- Dan Mayfield
- Reporter- Albuquerque Business First
- Email | Twitter | Reporter RSS Feed
The New Mexico brewery industry is in full-growth mode, and in this year’s legislative session the industry is looking to clean up some legislation to ensure that it continues to grow.
This year, so far, three bills are expected. One change the brewers are seeking, said Christopher Goblet, the “beer ambassador” for the New Mexico Brewers Guild, is changing the definition of a “packaging brewery” via SB 238, sponsored by Sue Wilson Beffort (R-Sandia Park). Some breweries, such as Marble or Tractor, are able to can and sell their beer. Others, such as Turtle Mountain, cannot, Goblet said, because their restaurant licenses don’t allow it. This year, Goblet said, the guild wants the Legislature to allow restaurant breweries to also package their beer.
“That’s why you can’t get, for example, Turtle Mountain beer anywhere. They can only sell so much beer over the counter, and the only way for them to increase production is for them to have off-site accounts,” Goblet said. “It’s about access to new markets.”
Also, the guild is supporting SB 258, a bill sponsored by Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D-Albuquerque), that will allow sales of growlers, or one-gallon bottles of beer. Though they’re technically ok to sell and fill at breweries now, it’s not in state law, Goblet said, and the guild simply wants the provision codified.
Read more here: http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2015/01/27/breweries-push-for-bills-to-keep-industry-bubbling.html