Florida Senate Passes Craft Beer Bill

A bill to regulate craft beer breweries passed through the Florida Senate on Thursday, approved by legislators by a 30-10 vote.

SB 1714, sponsored by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, would restrict the amount of packaged beer breweries can sell to customers.

The bill would restrict breweries making more than 2,000 kegs from selling more than 20 percent of their bottled or canned beers to regular take-home customers. The bill would also require brewers producing over 2,000 kegs to sell their products to distributors and then buy them back in order to sell their product in tasting rooms.

In addition, the bill would legalize 64-ounce "growlers," which are already legal in several states.

Stargel maintained the legislation would be in breweries' best interests, but the bill faced fervent opposition from craft beer brewers, who can currently sell an unlimited number of kegs, cans and bottled beer at their breweries.

Several Florida-based craft beer companies spoke out on social media over their distaste for the bill. Joey Redner, founder and CEO of Cigar City Brewing, a Tampa-based craft beer company, told the Tampa Bay Times it would consider leaving the state if the bill passed.

"If distributor members of the Florida Beer Wholesaler Association realize their legislative ambitions, they will knowingly and happily put the Florida breweries they represent at a severe competitive disadvantage," said Redner. "All so they can make a few more dollars."