Grapevine Craft Brewery Joins the Effort to #SueTABC
As legislative efforts fail, we are standing with other brewers to promote what is right for the craft beer industry and the consumer.
With careful consideration and a passion to continue to promote the growth of the craft beer industry in the great state of Texas, Grapevine Craft Brewery has decided to link arms with our friends at Deep Ellum Brewing Company as a co-plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. We do not take this action lightly.
We believe in liberty and in the free market here in Grapevine, Texas. But there are laws on the books which are not only antiquated, but we feel are unconstitutionally discriminatory towards a segment of the alcoholic beverage industry, particularly breweries. As wineries, distilleries and brewpubs in the state of Texas are all afforded the right to sell alcoholic beverages on site for off-premise consumption, this activity is currently prohibited by the TABC when it comes to production breweries. Potential solutions to this malfeasance have been debated in past legislative sessions to no avail due to other special interests and backdoor dealings that of course we are not privy to. But the fact remains that breweries are being treated differently from our other manufacturing counterparts in the state of Texas when it comes to off-premise sales and this should not be so.
While we would hope that change could come in the way of legislative action, history shows that we should not hold our breath. Even recently in both the 82nd and 83rd legislative sessions, bills were presented containing measures to remedy this issue and allow some sales of beer (or ale) from production breweries for off-premise consumption. But in the 82nd legislative session the measures were removed from the proposed bill in a bargaining deal gone bad and in the 83rd legislative session, the bill never saw the light of day. And while lawmakers are moving on with other business, breweries lose the opportunity to directly engage with our customers and fans. Additionally, these laws are hindering us from providing more variety and special offerings to consumers, not to mention the potential revenues necessary to continue to reinvest in our business for the continued health of the local craft beer industry in our state.
And so, we’d like to invite you to join in and help us make history by supporting the online campaign, Sue TABC: Operation Six Pack to Go!! For more information and also to read the full legal complaint, please visit the website www.suetabc.com. We’re thankful to Deep Ellum Brewing Company and their team for taking this crucial step towards seeing much needed change come to the state’s alcoholic beverage regulatory system.