Wendzel Hopes For Passage Of Brewery Legislation

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beer-safe

The Michigan Senate is preparing to consider legislation from state Representative Pauline Wendzel designed to help breweries around the state. Wendzel tells WSJM News Michigan law currently limits the number of barrels breweries can distribute on their own to 1,000 per year. Her bill, which passed the state House in February, would double that to 2,000 barrels.

“The next lowest state is 20,000 barrels, and we’re at 1,000 barrels,” Wendzel said. “It’s something that’s really been overlooked for some time. We have some of the most breweries in the country, our state does, and it’s just going to help us be more competitive as a whole state.”

Wendzel says under current law, if a brewery wants to distribute more than 1,000 barrels in a year, they have to get a distributor, which can be expensive for them. She looks forward to her bill getting a Senate vote next week. She also notes the Senate this week approved a plan to let local governments designate “social districts” where people could consume alcohol outside.

“It allows people to drink outside. They’re going to be run by locals, so the times and the place that they’re allowed and there will be designated cups, but with all the social distancing happening, this just makes it easier for restaurants to open up more space outside.”

Wendzel says the city of St. Joseph, for example, could declare its downtown a social district, and then people could buy a cocktail from a restaurant, and then walk around with it. Not that she’s suggesting the city of St. Joe do that. Within the district, all participating vendors would use the same cups.