TX Senator Turns in Craft Brewery Proposals for 2013

Big news in Texas for Craft Breweries and Brewpubs!

Four bills filed by State Senator Kevin Eltife on Tuesday would loosen strict regulations on craft breweries and brewpubs in the great state of Texas. It’s an exciting time, similar to the excitement in 2011 when bills filed to allow our breweries to beer for home consumption out in limited quantities among other things, failed.

But I have a good feeling about this set of bills and their making it through due to the proven massive growth in the industry and after the consistent criticism of the outdated bills over the years.

Brewpubs allowed to sell a limited amount to retailers and get their beers to Texas consumers that don’t live in those cities or frequent the brewpubs. I’m excited about this part of the bills because I would love able to pick up more Texas beers in our grocery and liquor stores. It’s a fabulous idea for our economy and for our taste buds. Free market economy, folks! The taste of competition is freedom.

The bills also suggest an adjustment to the amount of beer that breweries can sell to retailers without a distributor.

518 proposes that breweries can sell to consumers for on-site consumption, which isn’t a far cry from an ultimate goal, to sell beer to take home with you from the brewery. I am excited to get to the off-site sales part but the vechicle of on-site consumption only leaves me wary and curious about the potential change to my beloved past time, visiting breweries. I love my brewery tours.

Does this mean breweries will become be designed to become closer to bars in Texas? Will this mean that the breweries required to sell bar food for patrons consuming more beers on premises?
I’m interested to see what will happen in the structure of the tours offered if the bills pass. Perhaps the unfamiliar isn’t as dramatic as I imagine and maybe it will result in glorious growth of our craft brewers in Texas. More craft brewers and having our state represented in the nation for our small businesses accomplishments makes me excited for the future of these bills!

Progress is the goal and let’s hope this year will be a step forward for our Texas breweries and brewpubs

Proposal 518

Sec. 12.052. SALES BY CERTAIN BREWERS TO CONSUMERS. (a) In

addition to the activities authorized by Section 12.01, the holder

of a brewer’s permit whose annual production of ale together with

the annual production of beer by the holder of a manufacturer’s

license at the same premises does not exceed a total of 225,000

barrels may sell ale produced under the permit to ultimate

consumers on the brewer’s premises for responsible consumption on

the brewer’s premises.

Sec. 62.122. SALES BY CERTAIN MANUFACTURERS TO CONSUMERS.

(a) A manufacturer’s licensee whose annual production of beer

together with the annual production of ale by the holder of a

brewer’s permit at the same premises does not exceed 225,000

barrels may sell beer produced under the license to ultimate

consumers on the manufacturer’s premises for responsible

consumption on the manufacturer’s premises.

(b) The total combined sales of beer to ultimate consumers

under this section, together with the sales of ale to ultimate

consumers by the holder of a brewer’s permit under Section 12.052 at

the same premises, may not exceed 5,000 barrels annually.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

“Out there things can happen, and frequently do,
To people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry, don’t stew.
Just go right along, you’ll start happening too!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Here are some links to Texas newspapers with more information about the proposed bills.

Craft beer bills back in business: KXAN.com

BREAKING NEWS: Beer Bills Introduced: The Austin Chronicle

A Texas Lawmaker Filed Four Bills Yesterday to Make Life Easier on the State’s Craft Brewers Dallas Observer

Breaking news: New bills would help Texas brewers, brewpubs The Houston Chronicle

Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Saint Arnold Brewery is one my frequent haunts! Now that I’m pregnant it gives my husband the freedom to drink on his day off while I consume the delicious root beer they offer for free to non beer drinkers.They are the only brewery offering Monday- Thursday tours in   he is off on Wednesdays making doing exciting things difficult. If you know of another brewery open during the week feel free to correct me if I’m wrong so I can go! It reminds me of a hall set in Medieval times or high school lunch room. You can hang out, talk, eat and play games.

The Basics:

2000 Lyons Ave

Houston, TX 77020

Close to I-10, I-45 & 59, minutes from downtown.

Saint Arnold Brewing Company Website

On their website: “We require closed toe shoes for people who want to do the second part of the tour in the tank farm while we are in production. This is to keep you safe. On Saturday tours, closed toe shoes are not required. This does not affect those remaining in the beer hall.
Monday-  Friday: 3 p.m. Admission: $8/ person: Includes tour & souvenir glass Taps open at 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Tour at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday: 11a.m. – 2p.m.

Admission: $8/person: Includes tour & souvenir glass We will admit guests between 11:00AM and 2:00PM. Tours at Noon, 1PM, 2PM
Saturday tours can be large, and our official capacity is limited. Sometimes we will have lines to rotate people through all day, so as many people can visit as possible.

We have a parking lot at the northwest corner of the brewery as well as street parking. No reservations necessary! You are welcome to bring snacks or a lunch and remember to bring your six-pack carriers to be recycled! Children are welcome at the brewery but all minors under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. All guests over age 15 are $8.”

Price: It’s 8 bucks for a tour, a Saint Arnold logo glass (about the size of a juice cup) and 4 tokens for samples. They accept cash and cards. For those who are mathematical challenged or just don’t know, 2 bucks for a Saint Arnold beer at a craft brew place in Houston is a decent price. They run about $8 a six-pack at the grocery store to give a perspective on the price.

Tokens: A token per beer is how it works here unless you get the Endeavor which is 2 tokens. I think that it is 2 tokens for high alcohol content brews. in generally because I remamber paying 2 tokens for something else before but I can’t remember.

Shopping: They have a wonderful selection of pint glasses for the current and sometimes previous seasonal brews and some beer mugs/ steins that are pretty awesome all with Saint Arnold’s personal touch to them. The art for the seasonal glasses changes every year and it makes them fun to collect, which we like to do. They offer lots of kinds of shirts, including a onesie in two sizes (6 months or 12 months) which we bought for our baby girl. So if you are into brewery/ beer swag, this is a place that will have you staring at the wall of stuff they offer.

The Digs: Saint Arnold’s is indoors, has air conditioning and tons of picnic table seating. Bathrooms are awesome and plentiful, which you would assume when arriving there, but worth mentioning whenever discussing breweries.

• Bring Lunch! There is not food served here and there isn’t not fast food or pick up places immediately surrounding the brewery although it is so close to downtown it isn’t far from anything but it’s easy to forget because there are no stores around. Breweries in Houston tend are in warehouse areas, so think ahead! I wish we remembered to bring lunch but we always forget.
• Internet access is there but does not work on my phone in the hall.
• Kid friendly atmosphere. I see patrons with babies, strollers and kids in tow regularly.
• Do not bring your dog! It’s nice inside.
• The tour is awesome! It is not the same every time, a different person gives it on different days(although you will see the familiar faces), people ask all sorts of questions throughout the tour that make it really interesting and the guides usually have some great stories or knowledge to drop on the groups about what’s brewing at Saint Arnold’s. It has been wet and slippery down there last time I went so be cautious and think about what shoes you wear before going on the tour. They post it on their website for a reason. I have been on the tour a few times and it is well worth going, repeatedly. Since I have been pregnant I haven’t been on the tour because it begins on the second floor (where the taps are) then down stairs and that does not appeal to me now.
• Do not smoke your electronic cigarette devices in here. It is not allowed because it confuses cigarette smokers.
• Wheel chair accessible.The elevator to get to the second floor to reach the hall is by the front door which has a ramp and stairs.
• “All guests over age 15 are $8.” This is true and I know because while I’m pregnant and I’m still paying.

**I believe there is another way to the bottom from the outside but I haven’t asked about wheel chair accessibility of the tour before so I don’t really know.

I love Saint Arnold’s brewery and continue to go there often because of the great location (off I-10 between I-45 & 59 which makes it a convenient meeting place for after work or just getting together with friends), cheap beers, comfortable climate control and great setting during the week days. Weekends are crowded and I like to take my dog out on the weekends so I skip the Friday/ Saturday madness. I went once on Saturday and I prefer a bit more low-key and less waiting in line. It’s great to take your people from out-of-town to show them unique places in Houston.

My husband, Mitchell is going to follow-up with some comments about the brews offered at the taps offered there now.