The five bills collectively provide a new approach to help grow the expanding craft beer industry and update several business practices and regulatory issues in the Alcoholic Beverage Code.

Craft beer makers and brewpub owners will now be able to produce, market and sell their products direct to consumers in greater amounts. Brewpubs will be permitted to distribute up to 1,000 barrels of beer annually to outside consumers and breweries will be permitted to sell beer for on- site consumption.

Alcohol, beer & wine in Texas have been sold through an antiquated three-tier system that's been in place since the repeal of prohibition.

A study last year by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild found that the Texas’ independent craft brewery industry could generate an economic impact of $5.6 billion annually within a decade — while adding 52,000 jobs — if its development could resemble that of Texas’ wine industry after it underwent reform several years ago. 

(Austin Business Journal)

Southern Star Brewing Co. Red Cockaded

Brewed by: Southern Star Brewing Co.

Location: Conroe, Tx

Style: Imperial Red

A.B.V. (Alcohol By Volume) 8.5%

Flavor: Pine, resin and hints of citrus. Lingering dry bitterness finish.

Aroma: Intensely herbal and piney.

Seasonality: Spring

Pairs well with: Wide range of food: Chicken, seafood and burgers. Also great with spicy cuisine

Beer notes: This beer is deep red with a generous dose of malted rye and English crystal malts, giving the malt profile a sticky caramel property and substantial earthiness. The beer also has massive late charges of Pacific Northwest hops, as well as being generously dry hopped, making this beer intensely hoppy, displaying citrus, pine and resin in both aroma and flavor.

Find it: Available at Specs.

The Texas House has approved new rules to help small brewers expand.

Lawmakers used voice votes Friday to alter the beer industry's pricing structure and overhaul regulations that apply only to craft breweries. That drew applause from brewers watching in the gallery.

Current laws prohibit pubs like Freetail of San Antonio from packaging their beer for retail stores. They also prevent breweries like Houston's St. Arnold's from selling beer to tour visitors. The proposals split the state's distributors.

In a compromise, brewpubs and small breweries would pay $250 for a license to sell only their own beer directly to consumers. Brewpubs would be limited to selling 1,000 barrels annually.

The bills passed the Senate in March. They must clear a final House vote before heading to Gov. Rick Perry's desk.

(The Associated Press)

We are in a critical time trying to get the craft brewery bills passed. Saint Arnold Brewing Co. have been fighting tooth and nail to get these bill pushed that would ultimately help the Texas craft brewing industry. Many people are unaware the struggles micro-breweries face. Brock Wagner, founder of St. Arnold Brewing, is asking for your help to get these bills passed.

Here is a note from Brock about the bills and how you can help the fight:

We are sooooo close, but we haven't crossed the finish line yet. The craft brewery legislation that we have been working on in one way or another for the past ten years is getting close to actually becoming law. The bills have passed out of the Senate to the House where they have been voted out of committee. Now we need the entire House to vote on the bills so they will advance to the Governor for his signature. The House vote is scheduled for this Friday, May 17. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Bills

We have a negotiated package of five bills (the craft brewery bills SB 515-518, SB 639) with agreement between craft breweries (both shipping breweries and brewpubs), beer distributors, consumers and even ABInBev. The bills are stapled together so all five have to pass in order for any of them to become law. Here is the summary of what they do:

* Grant Texas packaging breweries the right to sell their products directly to consumers for on-premise consumption (SB 518).

* Grant Texas brewpubs the right to sell their beer to distributors and allow for limited self-distribution (SB 515).

* Adjust Texas small brewers self-distribution limits to lower how much a brewery may self-distribute but increases the size of brewery that can self-distribute (SB 516-17).

* Codify the rule against "reach-back pricing", prohibit distributors from making payment to breweries in exchange for territorial exclusivity and codify certain contractual relationships between breweries and distributors (SB 639).

We ask that you please email your Texas House Representative and ask them to vote FOR the entire package of craft brewery bills SB 515, 516, 517, 518 & 639. All five bills must pass or else all five die.

Don't know who your Representative is? Follow this link to find out.

Your note doesn't have to be long. Just tell them you are a constituent in his/her district, you care about this issue and that you ask that they vote for these bills.

(Please do not contact your senator - they've already done their good work.)

Thanks for you support.

Cheers!