Highlights from it are increase the limit from 20,000 to 250,000 BBLs and "growlers" is expanded to the language for containing between 500 milliliters and two liters. Also loosen the limit on Brewpubs in what they can sell for off sale. http://wdoc.house.leg.state.mn.us/leg/LS90/HF1078.0.pdf
So am I reading this correctly? Surly, Fulton and the likes are able to sell growlers again? The other thing I always found weird was the label with the address and the name of the malt liquor on it. How does that work when you bring a growler from a different brewery in?
Summit has a capacity of 240,000 BBL and Schell's has a capacity of 250,000 BBL. Neither is close to hitting full capacity.
Yes, both were around 135,000 barrels during 2014 and I'm sure they haven't grown past 250,000. Edit: Looks like 2015 production was Schell's around 138,000 barrels and Summit 133,000 barrels.
The "label" can be done with a sticker that is applied to the cap. In the case of SS or flip top growlers you can still add a sticker to it to show all the information. This is already part of the law today.
If this passes in this form, we may have just seen the last Darkness Day at the old location. Also, anyone eyeing a Surly growler on eBay may want to hold back for a bit before shelling out +$100 on one.
Do you, or anyone on here, know if it's difficult to get a sticker with the general surgeon warning on it. I searched a little with no luck, but have a couple of the double walled steel growlers from WI that don't have the warning.
Sort of off topic but is there any logistical reason, other than Darkness Day, for continuing to maintain the Brooklyn Center location? Do they still brew pilot batches or smaller batches there?
https://www.amazon.com/Alcohol-Beer-Wine-Government-Growlers/dp/B01FUWI2NE Alternatively, copy & paste this: *********************************************** GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems. ***********************************************...and then order these: https://www.amazon.com/30622-Pres-ply-address-labels/dp/B000ZLYO5G/
Well, for one thing, this bill has not even made it out of committee yet, let alone passed. But, this is what this article said: "Jerrod, a keyboardist with a free-flowing personality, has been at the helm of the Brooklyn Center brewery for two and a half years, crafting Surly’s one-off recipes and barrel-aged beers."
Pretty sure if it's not a flagship, year-round beer (i.e. Furious, Bender, etc.) it's still being brewed there. The plan from the get-go has always been to keep both locations up and running.
Is there really a brewpub in Minnesota that is selling anywhere near the 500 barrels per year in growlers? That equates to 15,500 growlers a year (42 plus per day, seven days a week). I have a had time believing that even Town Hall comes close to that.
If the term "growler" includes crowlers and other sized containers, I imagine Dangerous Man could be getting close. I don't think it would be difficult for them to sell the equivalent of about 300 growlers-worth to-go containers in a week. Just a guess though, I honestly have no idea.
I look at it as removing a silly restriction that (presumably) requires the brewpub to report their numbers to the state.
What seems wierd to me is that they're raising the limit to 3500 barrels. However, by law brewpubs can't make over 3500 barrels per year. So why not just get ride of the restriction altogether?
Although I would love to see this happening I don't see MLBA or the MMBA on board with this legislation.
I would love to hear the arguments against it though. They've been spouting alternative facts long before it was ever a thing.
With the larger breweries, would they want to monkey with growers? Selling bottles and 6 packs to go would be nice though. Possibly work something out with the distributor Also, why aren't the breweries part of the MLBA? Or form their lobbying group and partner with the League of MN cities.
