The Huntsville Times recently ran a piece about Huntsville’s new brewery, Straight to Ale. On the online comments, someone asked a very good question:
Why don’t any of these brewery’s here in Huntsville have a bar at the brewery itself. I would like to go and see the process and be able to have a beer right there instead of having to go to other bars to get it.
Other comments quickly answered that very good question – it’s illegal. Unfortunately, Alabama breweries like Straight to Ale, Olde Towne, and Good People aren’t allowed to sell beer at the brewery. Well, they can, but they have to be located in an historic building, in a county that had a brewery before 1919, and they have to have a restaurant that seats at least 80. Oh, and then they’re not allowed to sell their beer outside of their brewery. In order for Straight to Ale, Olde Towne, and Good People to have a tasting room, they have to pull all of their beer from your favorite stores, restaurants, and beer bars. Not a great option.
Fortunately, all that could start changing very soon. As I pointed out earlier, the Brewery Modernization Act should be voted on in the House and Senate next week!
The Brewery Modernization Act removes the historic building requirement, the historic county requirement, and the restaurant requirement for having on-premise sales at the brewery. Also importantly, it allows breweries with on-premise sales to continue their sales to wholesalers to be distributed to other bars, restaurants, and stores.
If you’re like the commenter and want to see tap rooms and more brewpubs in Alabama, help us change the law. It’s up for a vote next week. As always, we make it as simple on you as possible by providing a simple tool to help you find your senator and representative and their history with our legislation. Simply call or email your state senator and state representative and tell them you support The Brewery Modernization Act and want them to as well.