Montana Brewers Spring Festival Coming to Billings May 31

Posted On March 29, 2013

The Montana Brewers are bringing their wares to Billings for the first time with the Montana Brewers Spring Festival on May 31.  To be held at the Downtown Depot, 5pm to 10pm, with 4pm VIP Ticket opportunity, over 20 Montana breweries with over 60 Montana made beer will be on display for your tasting pleasures.  The largest collection of Montana-made beer ever gathered in eastern Montana, its one-stop access to unique Montana brewers and their beers.  Second in breweries-per-capita, Montana is a strong contestant as one of the greatest brewing states in the country, and is NOW #2 IN THE NATION IN BREWERIES PER CAPITA.  Liquid proof of why beer sales far exceed the sales of wine and spirits combined in America.  A variety of music will be heard throughout the day and delicious food will be served.  So come join us and relax with your friends at this annual marquee celebration of Montana-made beer, at a great venue in Billings.

2013 Montana Brewers Spring Festival

1^st Annual Montana Brewers Spring Festival

The Year’s Largest Collection of Montana-Made Craft Beer!

All at one location for one day!

Friday, May 31st, 2013

Billings Depot, Downtown Billings

5pm to 10 pm

Beer Lovers, Food Lovers, Dance Lovers, Fun Lovers and Brewers

At the Montana Brewers Spring Festival in Billings, Montana.

What: The 1st Montana-made beer Spring Festival in Billings will serve over 60 different MONTANA MADE BEERS, in bottomless 9-ounce tasting glass, from over 20 Montana Brewers Association breweries. Committed to bringing Montana Made Beer to all corners of the state, this is the first Montana Brewers Festival to be held in Billings after successfully holding festivals in Bozeman and Missoula.

Beer: 9oz unlimited tasting glass.

Where: Billings Depot, Downtown Billings

When: Friday, May 31st, 2013: 5 pm – 10:00 pm

Price:

5pm Entry $20 in advance – $25 at gate.

4pm VIP Entry $30 in advance – $35 at gate: Early entry at 4pm for the Brewers VIP Hour. Beat the crowd and enjoy the lineup of Montana made beers and meet the brewers.  John Floridis, guitar player extraordinaire from Missoula, will be playing at 4pm for VIPs only!

Food: Select local food vendors.

Music:    John Floridis – Missoula, MT (4pm to 5pm)

Downtown – Billings, MT (5:30pm to 7:30pm)

Keegan Smith and the Fam – Portland, OR (8pm – 10pm)

Why: The largest collection of Montana-made beer ever gathered in eastern Montana, its one-stop access to unique Montana brewers and their beers. Second in breweries-per-capita, Montana is a strong contestant as one of the greatest brewing states in the country, and is NOW #2 IN THE NATION IN BREWERIES PER CAPITA. Liquid proof of why beer sales far exceed the sales of wine and spirits combined in America. A variety of music will be heard throughout the day and delicious food will be served. So come join us and relax with your friends at this annual marquee celebration of Montana-made beer, at a great venue in Billings.

The Brewers and The Beers: Full Beer Lineup to be coming soon. Stay Tuned.

Sponsors: Sponsorship opportunities available. Please contact Lindsey at [email protected].

Tentative Schedule:

Friday, May 31^st 2013

1^st Annual Montana Brewers Spring Festival

Billings Depot, Billings

4:00-5pm – VIP Brewers Hour and Brew Crew Card Early Entry and John Floridis

5:00pm Doors open to the public

5:30 – 7:30pm Downtown

8:00– 10:00pm Keegan Smith and the Fam.

10:00pm – Festival Ends

10:30pm – Load Out begins

HJ18 Passes House Business and Labor Committee Unanimously

Posted On March 28, 2013

At 8 AM on Thursday, March 28, our resolution to study alcohol licensing laws in Montana passed the House Business and Labor Committee. After the addition of some clarifying amendments, made by sponsor Christy Clark (R-Choteau), the measure easily made it through on a 19-0 vote. Now HJ18 will move on to the House floor, and is very likely to heard sometime during the first week of April.

This a very big step for Montana, as it sets the stage to review alcohol licensing laws that have been under great scrutiny and pressure by virtue of the current successes in Montana’s craft brewing industry. This review process will provide adequate time and the proper framework for industry members including retailers, manufacturers (brewers, distillers, and wineries), and distributors to develop long term solutions with the aid of a legislative panel.

Also, the committee postponed executive action on the  MTA’s 60/40 bill, HB616, sponsored by Roger Hagan. Rep. Hagan said that questions had arisen regarding some of the legal underpinnings of the bill. He handed out a legal opinion from the MTA’s attorney, stating that the bill didn’t have any conflict with federal regulations. Rep. Hagan also requested that executive action on the bill be delayed until Wednesday, April 3 and was granted this delay. However, after the hearing a contradictory opinion was released from the Department of Revenue.

The Department of Revenue stated that HB616 in its current form “raises a significant risk of a dormant commerce clause-based lawsuit in Federal Court.” So the bill that created the impetus for HJ18 now has a fairly significant legal issue. A striking example of the unintended consequences that accompany 11th hour ideas that have not had time to be fully researched.

The Montana Brewers Association thanks each of you for all the support you have provided during this legislative process thus far, and your passionate support of  HJ18.  Alas we aren’t done yet, and the MBA continues to need your help. Please take a moment to send a thank you note to the committee members (emails below) for their sensible vote and their continued support of our great industry! Please ask them to resist HB616 and to work with all members of Montana’s craft brewing industry in the study resolution process.

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Montana tavern owners battling with beer brewers

Posted On March 27, 2013

AP Photo/Matt Gouras

Rep. Roger Hagan introduces his bill to place limitations on the expanding retail craft brewing industry on Tuesday in Helena.

Tavern owners faced off against craft brewers at the Capitol on Tuesday, arguing that the upstart competition has been allowed to unfairly flourish with too few restrictions.

Both sides packed a state House Business and Labor Committee hearing looking at two bills.

One brought by the tavern owners, House Bill 616, would put new licensing requirements on the brewing industry. The tavern owners argue that some breweries have grown into full-scale retail establishments not envisioned by the original law that allows tasting rooms.

Another bill to study the issue, House Joint Resolution 18, was backed by brewers who said more conversation is needed to fairly reconcile differences.

Rep. Roger Hagan, R-Great Falls, said stricter restrictions are needed on the brewers. He said brewers are taking advantage of laws, revised in the late 1990s, that allowed the breweries to retail beer sell up to 48 ounces of beer a day to customers before 8 p.m.

He said that law was intended to let wholesale breweries offer a little taste to retail customers. The lawmaker argued that some breweries now sell almost all their product to customers and resemble bars.

Tavern owners testified that they enjoy selling locally made beers to customers. They argued that unfair retail competition from the breweries, however, is limiting the availability of such beers for the retail bars.

Hagan’s bill would require many retail breweries to buy a new state license for $100,000. Wholesale operations would not need the license.

The bill received support from one large brewery, Big Sky Brewing Co. in Missoula, which said it is too large and exceeds production limits to open a tasting room under the current law. The brewery supported the way the new bill would allow it to open a tasting room with the new special license, or perhaps even buy an all-beverage license that would allow expansion perhaps into food or other businesses.

But the rest of the brewers in the state opposed the law. They argued it would stifle growth in the industry.

The brewers are instead suggesting a two-year study with the aim of producing new rules that everyone can support. They said Hagan’s bill is being wrongly sold as a way to help the industry expand with new licensing rights.

Farmers who sell grain to the breweries and customers who enjoy the beer also opposed the bill.

“It was crafted by the Tavern Owners Association, and it is meant to benefit the Tavern Owners and it will crush many of the small-town mom-and-pop breweries in Montana,” said Helena attorney David Hull, who said he enjoys the breweries.

Hull argued tavern owners get a lot of extra rights with their liquor license, including the ability to sell all beverages and profit from gaming.

The breweries argued that they don’t want the rights to those businesses and enjoy the current model that limits hours and consumption. Many of the very small brewers said they have built modest retail business plans that would be jeopardized under the proposed bill.

“It is flawed in many ways and it would put us out of business,” said Rob Jarvis of Philipsburg Brewing.

The committee did not take immediate action on either bill.

Brewery Bills to be Heard Tuesday, March 26th

Posted On March 21, 2013

OPPOSE HB616:

• You support the craft beer industry in Montana and want to preserve it, and do not want to see further unwarranted restrictions.
• HB616 will limit small brewers’ access to markets and create barriers to grow their businesses.
• HB616 will kill jobs in small main street businesses in Montana, and limit market entry.
• Buying into the current quota system by purchasing licenses is not the end-all answer to how manufacturers should be treated in the alcohol code.
• HB616 comes to them without the proper consideration of all parties and that the subject is too important to make decisions without all the facts.
• Montana Distributors also oppose HB616.

SUPPORT HJ18:

• HJ18 provides a balanced, sensible approach to review the very complex licensing system in the Montana, and is preferable to HB616.
• Time is needed for all parties to look at the many alternatives to determine how brewers are treated within the licensing system.
• Such a review has never been done and could yield many beneficial recommendations to the next legislature.
• HJ18 is supported by craft beer fans around the state as the proper way to address these issues.
• HJ18 will create an opportunity for all parties including retailers, distributors,
• manufacturers, economic development, tourism, agriculture, and the public to be heard in the process.
• Montana Distributors support HJ18.

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LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD