Connecticut lawmakers have approved a bill allowing brewpubs to bottle and distribute beer to wholesale and retail outlets. The governor still has to sign the bill to make it law.
Under Connecticut’s current alcohol distribution laws, which were put on the books in the 1930s, the owner of a brewpub is prohibited from operating a microbrewery.
The Hartford Courant reports:
Last winter, Steve Boucino and Scott Scanlon, the owners of The Cambridge House Brew Pub, bumped up against the ban.
They hoped to open a $2 million microbrewery to make, bottle and sell their beer. But when they applied for a permit from the state’s Liquor Control Division, they were denied.
“We were told we would have to give up the brew pub to open a microbrewery since you can’t be the holder of two permits,” said Boucino, co-owner of the 2-year-old Granby brew pub, which includes a restaurant.
Frustrated, they considered taking their micro dreams to Massachusetts, where brewpubs are allowed to bottle and distribute beer. But they decided to try to change the law first.
Now they could have their Connecticut brewery up and running by Thanksgiving.
Wow! First CT allows growlers, now a brewpub can also bottle and sell their beer off premise? Congrats to CT for slowly but surely crawling out of the dark ages!
All these little victories WITHOUT a brewer’s guild to boot. Just imagine what CT could do then?
Bring on the 2nd Cambridge House location!
Cheers!