Beer Laws Moving Today

The logo of Deep Ellum Brewing, in Carona's District 16, sums up the reaction to the new compromises. (Credit: Shelley Hiam)

Today and tomorrow, the Texas Senate is expected to vote on the four beer bills, Senate Bills 515-518, and a fifth, SB 639, introduced at the last minute by Commerce Committee Chair John Carona, R-Dallas. The last bill is described by San Antonio beer blogger Markus Hass as “a wish list of demands from the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas.”

Brewers were sad face and surprise face about SB 639 and the compromises it forced on SB515-518. Here are posted reactions by Freetail, Jester King, and Austin Beerworks.

I hate to be cynical, but Carona's complete list of bills he authored, co-authored, and sponsored reads like a letter to Santa written by industries that contribute to his reelection campaigns.

The Houston Press beer blogger Joshua Justice was sad face and also had an angry face for the brewers in response to their sad face.

But these laws in their compromised form have made it on the consensus calendar, and the overall conclusion expressed by Open the Taps is that, if passed – as most items on the consensus calendar are – it would be a better situation for craft beer in Texas than before.