Legislature Considering Letting Brewpubs Bottle Their Beer

The Texas legislature is now in session, and it seems they have some ideas about beer. Brewpubs, specifically: Representative Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio has proposed a bill (HB 660, warning, PDF) that would make it easier for brewpubs to bottle and sell their beer offsite. It would also increase the number of barrels brewpubs could produce in one year from 5,000 to 75,000. That's a pretty significant increase! Anyway, Scott Metzger San Antonio's Freetail Brewing Co. is blogging in support of the bill, making graphics of liquor store beer real estate and spouting statistics on Texas craft beer.

Villarreal's not the only one trying to shake up the state's arcane beer laws: Jessica Farrar, D-Houston wants to change policies regarding brewery tours. Her proposal (HB 602) would allow breweries to charge for tours and "give tour participants up to 48 12-ounce beers at the conclusion."

· Texas Legislature to Consider Brewpub Bill [Houston Chronicle]
· Brewed and Never Battered [Official Site]
· All Beer Coverage on Eater Austin [-EATX-]
Real Ale Brewery. [Photo: Real Ale / Facebook]