Government Affairs

A new version of the Restaurants Act, which would provide $120 billion in grants to bars and restaurants, was introduced in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on February 4. The bill now includes “brewpubs, tasting rooms, taprooms, and licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase products,” the Brewers Association said.

Corporate America is reassessing its campaign spending in the wake of a rally-turned-riot at the U.S. Capitol last week by supporters of President Donald Trump that left five people — including a Capitol police officer — dead. Within the beer industry, the two largest beer manufacturers in the U.S. told Brewbound that they will review their spending.

Permanent excise tax cuts for brewers and importers was just a signature away. However, getting pen to paper on the $900 billion economic relief package and a $1.4 trillion government funding bill passed by Congress is now in question after President Donald Trump unexpectedly pushed back against the measures.

A permanent reduction in the federal excise tax for alcohol producers and importers is a signature away. The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have both signed off on the $900 billion economic relief package, which includes language from the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA), as well as additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding for small businesses, among other measures.

The temporary federal excise tax cuts enjoyed by brewers and importers over the last three years are on the verge of being made permanent. Congress has included language from the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) in the $900 billion COVID-19 relief package that is expected to pass in the coming days.

The BA, which represents the nation’s small and independent brewers, is advocating for several measures at the federal level that would support craft breweries, whose businesses have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pennsylvanians looking to reunite with former classmates at their hometown bars on the night before Thanksgiving will have to do so over Zoom, as the commonwealth has banned on-premise alcohol sales from 5 p.m. on Wednesday until 8 a.m. on Thursday. The ban applies to “bars, restaurants, and private catered events,” according to a press release. It intends to keep large groups of people from gathering.

As the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic surges in the U.S., governors continue enacting restrictions to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Over the weekend, the governors of Washington, Oregon, Michigan and New Mexico banned on-site dining at bars and restaurants for the next few weeks.

John Hickenlooper — a Democrat, former Colorado governor and co-founder of Denver-based Wynkoop Brewing — will become the first craft brewer to win a seat in the U.S. Senate after defeating incumbent Sen. Cory Gardner (R.-Colo.) on Tuesday. “Clearly people are saying it’s time to turn the page, it’s time for a different approach,” Hickenlooper… Read more »

Heineken has entered the increasingly crowded hard seltzer segment with two different brands in different parts of the world. And After announcing the end of a tariff exemption for Canadian aluminum last month, President Donald Trump has changed his mind, according to a statement last week from the office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

A majority of Americans support extending federal excise tax cuts that were enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, according to a survey commissioned by industry trade group the Beer Institute (BI).

In his fall legislative agenda, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf urged the state Legislature to legalize recreational marijuana and use proceeds from its sale to support business grants and restorative justice programs, as well as pass a six-month reduction or cancellation of the state’s alcohol tax on the hospitality industry.

Citing an influx of advertising touting the health benefits of certain alcoholic beverages, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) published a memo warning producers to stop making such claims.

Cans are a hot topic for the nation’s brewers, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of bars and restaurants for several months. Without on-premise venues to visit, Americans began to drink more beer at home, and cans picked up the slack in the market left by draft beer. Ball, the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum cans, said inventory is likely to be sold out or severely tight for the remainder of the year.