Music to Your Beers

Texas microbrewers are closer than ever to being allowed to "sell" their products at their own breweries. House Bill 602 – which technically still wouldn't allow sales but would grant them permission to give away two six-packs after a paid brewery tour – passed the House last week after on-site sales bills in the previous two sessions died either in committee or on the House floor. Craft-beer lovers now must hope the Senate finds the bill worthy of its time before the legislative session closes at the end of May. A bill that would allow true on-site sales, HB 2436, is stuck in committee and unlikely to pass due to opposition from the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas, as is HB 660, which would allow brewpubs (restaurants that brew their own beer) to sell their beer off premises – a privilege currently afforded only to out-of-state brewpubs.