NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Salt City Brewing posted on social media Thursday that it was seeking support from the community to call representatives related to Senate Bill 511, a bill to reduce regulation on microbreweries.
"It allows microbreweries to sell their own beer to bars and restaurants and to events," said Democrat Rep. Jason Probst. "Right now, we have the three-tiered system and they can't sell their own beer. They have to go through a wholesaler or distributor. This would allow microbreweries and companies that make hard cider to sell their own product."
Probst said supporters feel restricted by the regulation.
"The wholesalers are largely interested in moving large volume product," Probst said. "They are interested in moving InBev, Budweiser products and not as interested in moving microbrewery products, which is a growing industry. There are more microbreweries every year coming on line. People really enjoy them. They kind of become social gathering places in communities throughout the state. The microbrewery industry is saying, our growth is being limited, because we have to use these wholesalers under current law and the wholesalers are not moving our product."
Probst noted that the three-tier system, even if it could be believed that it provided some safeguards in the past, is not continuing to be useful in the same state where alcohol can literally be sold out a drive-through window now.
"There's no question, I support it," Probst said. "You know, I joke to people that there's no such thing as a free market. There's just a market that is regulated to the advantage of certain industries."
Large companies sometimes like regulation, because they have the competitive advantage of being able to afford the lawyers and lobbyists to massage them to their advantage.
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