Beer Blotter

The Beer Act Takes Off

March 14th, 2011 beerblotter crew No comments

: Patty Murray has voiced her support for the BEER Act.

***This post was originally published on the Brewery Law Blog, an alcoholic beverage law blog administered by Reiser Legal LLC. The office’s Doug Reiser provides Beer Blotter with regular legal and legislative commentary.***

Last week, I discussed the federal BEER Act. Today, it looks a bit more promising for the tax cut legislation that would put millions back in brewery pockets.

A fairly wide-spreading marketing effort took over this past week. You can now see an out-pouring of support from Senators across all parts of the U.S. With each passing day, it appears more likely that this bi-partisan effort will pass through the Senate.

As of today, both Sen. Maria Cantwell and Sen. Patty Murray have stepped up to provide assurance that they will back the BEER Act. In total, The Wall Street Journal counts 17 senators as co-sponsors. But, reports last week showed that there are closer to thirty that have expressed support for the bill.

If you want to learn more about the BEER Act, read our earlier post. In that post, you can find summary information, as well as links to the language, courtesy of the Brewers Association. The Act itself is incredibly brief.

We will continue to track progress of the bill, here at Brewery Law Blog.

Categories: Beer Law Tags: BEER Act, Beer law, beer legislation, Brewer Employment and Excise relief, doug reiser, TTB excise tax

Beer Law: Farmer's Market to Sample Beer?

January 12th, 2011 beerblotter crew No comments

Beer: Coming soon to a Farmer's Market by you!

**This post originally published by BrewerlyLaw.com, beer law blog published by Seattle based Reiser Legal LLC.**

Booze at farmer’s markets? Yep.

A new legislative action by Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles would bring beer and wine sampling to Seattle’s wondrous farmer’s markets. The bill is being introduced in the State Senate as SB 5029 and can be reviewed by following this link.

Apparently, this legislation is modeled after a recent law that permits the sampling of beer and wine at grocery stores. But, this first step is a simply a “test kit”, targeting 10 sample markets and limiting sampling to one brewer or winemaker per market, per day.

We will be sure to follow the legislation through the voting process. But, I think that most will agree that its a great first step to bringing our great state’s most celebrated craftsman to the market – the brewer.

Categories: Beer Law, Seattle, US Tags: beer at farmers markets, Beer law, beer legislation, beer sampling at markets, farmer markets, seattle farmers markets, seattle market, washington farmers markets

The Death of I-1100: What's Next for Washington?

November 4th, 2010 beerblotter crew No comments

The law books will have to wait for a change. I-1100 has been defeated.

***This post was originally posted on BreweryLaw.com, a blog devoted to beer law! The blog is published by Reiser Legal, LLC, a Seattle, Washington law office. Reiser Legal’s Douglas Reiser is our regular legal blogger.***

Well, its over. Both of the private liquor initiatives have failed to win the hearts of Washington voters. Even though there are still some votes to count, the battle is over.

But why did voters not embrace this initiative?

This year the elections were charged by an eagerness to reduce taxes and eliminate the government stranglehold on business. Nationwide, voters made it clear that they felt that big government had failed.

With voters looking to reduce taxation and governmental control, you would think that an initiative to eliminate Washington’s monopoly over liquor sales would prevail, right? How about an initiative that, as both sides would argue, would reduce the costs of beer and wine sold in Washington state? Hole in one, eh? Nay.

Washington voters listened to the issues and voted with their brains, and not their hearts. I firmly believe that Western Washington’s love for its communities, defeated these measures. They listened to the local businesses that they support and decided that I-1100 was not for them and their families. (Note: I-1105 was defeated roundly). The massive amount of money that was dumped into this initiative appears to have been put to good use, as public education significantly assisted the “No” campaign.

So, what’s next?

One thing is for sure, it was a close call. The I-1100 vote came down to the final votes. The dividing line is not too wide.

Secondly, many of the organizations that supported the “No” campaign, including the Washington Brewers Guild, are not against the concepts of liquor privatization and free markets. They simply do not want it to happen overnight.

The one sentiment that I believe most shared was that overnight deregulation could be disturbing for businesses in the industry. Most of these groups might have been willing to get behind a measure that built in gradual deregulation. Heather McClung, owner of Schooner Exact Brewing, stated that the Guild’s members favor “slow, steady growth in modernizing those laws.” So, its possible they would get behind some, better crafted, legislation.

Finally, this was a voter initiative and not a legislative measure. Public citizens drew up significant changes to Washington state law (called for the repeal of 26 state laws), and I believe that it frightened some people. If a more gradual measure was to pass through the legislature, it might have more footing.

In the end, I suspect that there will be a congressional push to get proposed legislation circulated in the legislature. In the next few years, the State of Washington will likely have some form of private liquor sales and a more deregulated alcohol business. I would take those betting odds.

Categories: Beer Law, Seattle, US Tags: alcohol beverage law, Beer law, Beer lawyer, I-1100, I-1105, Liquor initiative, Reiser Legal, Washington liquor law, washington liquor privatization

Like Beer Law? Check Out These Blogs

September 29th, 2010 beerblotter crew No comments

We drink, take notes and then we blog it. Law blogs are a bit different.

I came across this wonderful blog by Tom Warks, today. Tom runs Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog, a blog typically discussing the public relations within the wine world.

Tom regularly focuses on legal issues facing the wine industry and so he put together a list of some of the best alcoholic beverage law blogs out there. Included was a humble yours truly, amongst a wonderful crowd of legal minds.

Check out his list of legal blogs by following this link. There are an abundance of blogs for just about every taste in the alcoholic beverages law spectrum.

One blog of particular interest to myself, and likely most of you, is the Alcoholic Beverages Law Blog. This blog is written by the Portland office of well-respected law office, Stoel Rives LLP.

The blog is written by a collective of attorney out of the firms offices in Washington, Oregon and California. Seattle attorney, Susan Johnson, offers her own perspective from time to time, including this write up on the liquor Initiatives (1100 & 1105) currently on the ballot in Washington.

Thanks to Tom for including my blog in this list of elite commentators.

Categories: Beer Law Tags: beer blogs, Beer law, Brewery Law, Fermentation blog, law blogs, Stoel Rives, Susan Johnson, Tom Warks

Beer Law: Campaign Ads Lend Fodder to Initiative 1100 Fire

September 28th, 2010 beerblotter crew 2 comments

Store owner Wallace Wright appears in an online ad for Yes to 1100

You might be sick of Initiative 1100 by now (and please tell me below, if you are), but here is more fodder for the fire. Initiative 1100 is getting more and more face time, every time I turn on the tube.

The ad campaigns used by both sides showcase many in the local alcohol industry – some who are for it; others who are not. Here is a look at what is out there, so far.

No!

You probably have already seen the videos put out by the “No To Initiative 1100/1105” campaign. The two that are most often shown (and perhaps the only two out there) profile Washington winemaker, Darby English, and a Washington corner store owner.

Here is Darby English talking about why he believes the Initiative will harm his business:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0MYxUK8_mQ]

Other ads showcase the safety hazards that many are pushing as the negative impact of the Initiative. This one is from a local firefighter:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSRfixZOz2M&NR=1]

Another video was put out by the Teamsters, who put 700-800 people to work in the alcohol distribution business. Take a look:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hok6Tjahehg&NR=1]

Yes!

But, where are the supporters videos? Until recently, it appeared that the “Yes to 1100” campaign wouldn’t put as much money into ads. But a recent video shows that maybe they were just saving all their guns for one ad. Check out this video of many of Seattle’s most prominent restaurateurs:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-xjXGDvkto]

Many will say that this video is merely a collection of bar/restaurant owners, looking for cheaper liquor. But, the Yes to 1100 campaign has been out in the community getting video testimonials from many people in the alcohol industry. You can see some of these videos below.

Wallace Wright of the Meridian Market:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6olx_nET4Q&feature=related]

Jackie Moffit, local bartender and author of DrinkGal.com

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dpiQ-L2hLc&feature=related]

Alison Helfen of the Wine Alley:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKU_VB40-9Q&feature=related]

What I really wanted to show are the real people out there that will be impacted by the Initiative. Most of us are merely beverage consumers who care about the bottom line. Through these people’s stories, I think you can get a better idea of the impact of this legislation. Hopefully, it will help you make your choice next month.