Legislative, Government Affairs & Legal Updates

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Featured Legislative, Government Affairs & Legal Updates Content

Bart Watson: If You’re Trying to Ride Out This Wave, ‘You Should Probably Reconsider’

Bart Watson: If You’re Trying to Ride Out This Wave, ‘You Should Probably Reconsider’

Anyone looking for an answer to when craft’s current era of compounding hurdles and declines will come to an end received a reality check Wednesday during Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson’s state of the industry address, held at the start of Day 2 of the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Indianapolis.

Additional Content

4 Shareholder Lawsuits Against Craft Brew Alliance Dropped

4 Shareholder Lawsuits Against Craft Brew Alliance Dropped

Four lawsuits claiming that Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) omitted “material information” from a proxy statement related to the craft beer maker’s planned merger with Anheuser-Busch InBev have been dropped after the Portland, Oregon-headquartered company filed a supplemental report, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Tuesday.

Massachusetts Franchise Law Reform Among New Guild President’s Priorities in 2020

Massachusetts Franchise Law Reform Among New Guild President’s Priorities in 2020

Newly named Massachusetts Brewers Guild’s president Sam Hendler wants to finally resolve the contentious franchise reform debate with the state’s wholesalers. Hendler, a co-founder and co-owner of Framingham, Massachusetts-based craft breweries Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers and the Springdale Beer Company, acknowledged that the franchise law reform effort has been dragging on long before he was of legal drinking age. “I was a high school senior when it started,” he told Brewbound.

Last Call: Molson Coors Sued Over Vizzy Seltzer Name; Coronavirus Affects Beer Sales and Production in China

Last Call: Molson Coors Sued Over Vizzy Seltzer Name; Coronavirus Affects Beer Sales and Production in China

The parent company of Brizzy Seltzer Cocktails has filed a lawsuit against Molson Coors Beverage Company in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleging that the second largest U.S. beer manufacturer’s Vizzy Hard Seltzer name “is nearly identical to Brizzy in sight, sound and appearance” and infringes upon its trademark.

Michigan Bill Would Grant Self-Distribution Rights to More Small Breweries

Michigan Bill Would Grant Self-Distribution Rights to More Small Breweries

A bill introduced in the Michigan Legislature earlier this month would allow breweries producing up to 2,000 barrels annually to self-distribute their products in the state. Currently, Michigan breweries producing up to 1,000 barrels can self-distribute. According to national trade group the Brewers Association, the majority of Michgian’s craft breweries produced fewer than 1,400 barrels in 2018, the last year in which data was available.

Cans Grew in On-Premise Retailers in 2019, while the ‘Long Tail’ Increased Draft Share

Cans Grew in On-Premise Retailers in 2019, while the ‘Long Tail’ Increased Draft Share

Beer depletions (sales from wholesalers to retailers) in 2019 were mostly flat compared to 2018, although there were a few spikes around summer holidays, National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones shared during a webinar hosted by Fintech, a data, analytics and invoice processing platform for wholesalers.

President Trump Signs 1-Year Excise Tax Relief Extension into Law

President Trump Signs 1-Year Excise Tax Relief Extension into Law

Federal excise tax (FET) relief for makers of beer, wine and spirits is locked in place through the end of 2020. President Donald Trump today signed into law a tax extender package that includes the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA), which passed both chambers of Congress this week.