A rare agreement between a state beer wholesalers trade group and craft brewers has paid off as legislation to allow limited self-distribution by brewers in Virginia appears headed for approval.
According to an article in the Richmond Biz Sense, Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association President and CEO Phil Boykin spoke in favor of the bill at a Virginia House of Delegates subcommittee hearing. The subcommittee proceeded to vote unanimously to approve the bill.
Currently, brewers may only sell beer to retailers through a licensed wholesaler. The legislation, House Bill 2258, would allow brewers to sell up to 500 barrels annually “directly” to retailers. Brewers will still have to sell through a newly created state division called the Virginia Beer Distribution Co. which would be run by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The VBDC is modeled after the Virginia Wine Distribution Co., a division the state’s wine industry successfully lobbied to create in 2007. The VBDC will monitor the transactions but brewers will be able to make the deliveries directly to licensed retail accounts themselves.
More on the story here.