Minnesota lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow breweries that produce up to 150,000 barrels to offer and fill growlers. It would accommodate the state’s largest craft brewers and would also allow some craft brewers to sell cans to go.
“This bill has been long-sought and is much needed for the survival of craft beer in this state,” Robert Galligan, a lobbyist for the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, said in a letter to lawmakers last month. “For too long, the brewers of Minnesota have been restricted in their rights as American entrepreneurs, and although this bill would not equal the playing field with most every other state in the nation, it does bring us closer.”
The measure would also allow two dozen Minnesota distilleries would get to sell one standard 750 milliliter bottle to a customer a day at their cocktail rooms, up from the current 375 milliliter limit.
And out-of-state wineries woould be able to ship to ship up to 12 cases of wine per year to an individual, up from the current two cases, if the producers get licensed and pay the applicable taxes.
But supermarket sales of wine, spirits and strong beer would remain limited to retailers that operate separate liquor stores. Minnesota would remain the last state restricting regular grocery and convenience stores to low-alcohol 3.2 beer.