New Legislation to Remove Brewery Growler Cap
A group called the Alliance of Minnesota Craft Breweries introduced new legislation today that would remove Minnesota’s growler cap, a state law that now prohibits bigger breweries from selling their beer in 64 ounce growler containers.
MINNESOTA – A group called the Alliance of Minnesota Craft Breweries introduced new legislation today that would remove Minnesota’s growler cap. A state law that now prohibits bigger breweries from selling their beer in 64 ounce growler containers.
That law says Minnesota breweries cannot sell to-go growlers if they make more than 20,000 barrels of beer a year.
There are five breweries in the state that cannot sell growlers because they produce more beer than that.
Lon Larson owns Castle Danger Brewery in Two Harbors. He operates one of those breweries. Larson says he initially built his taproom in 2013 to help the community. He believes craft breweries can be a big boost for the local economy and says not being able to sell growlers hurts his business.
“We wanted to invest in the small community of 3,300 people, downtown Two Harbors and provide an attraction for the tourist traffic that goes up to the North Shore up Highway 61 to stop in a small community, hopefully buy some beer,” said Lon Larson, the owner of Castle Danger Brewery.
The Minnesota state lawmakers supporting this bill believe taking away the growler cap would help encourage local breweries to innovate and reach customers with their products as well as create more jobs and tax revenue.
“By putting a cap on how they can grow and where they can grow, you’re limiting the shop local, think local mentality that is emerging in our economy,” said Michelle Benson, a Minnesota state senator.
The growler cap law was passed to help protect smaller businesses and retailers and also to avoid disrupting the beer distribution system in the state.
The Alliance of Minnesota Craft Breweries includes ownership from Fulton, Castle Danger, Indeed, Lift Bridge, Surly, and Schell’s.
