Florida Growler fight

[kappclark]

What's up in Florida where they make it difficult to sell growlers ??

Any FL brewers care to comment ?? Is this simply about money ??

 

[kaconga]

I noticed they said in the article that Idaho was one of the states not allowing the sales of growlers. Just wanted to state that if that is the case then pretty much every brewery here is breaking the law every hour or so. I regularly get growlers filled and have never considered that it might not be legal in some places. Blows my mind.

 

[cygnus21]

Growlers are legal in Florida but only in 32oz or 1 gal sizes. The original fight was to allow 64oz, and then the beer distributors lobby stepped in and its become a cluster from there.

 

[garcia]

The only people affected would be the end consumer.

 

[dyennie]

Well right now (small) breweries can sell bottles/cans in their tasting rooms but can not fill a 64 oz. growler. 32 oz. and one gallon growlers can be filled. I've been to breweries in quite a few states and do not remember any other state that allows the brewery to sell bottles/cans from their tasting rooms. So it seems that Florida breweries have an income avenue that most other states do not have while dealing with (small) loss of not being able to fill a 64 oz. growler.

 

[sarsnavy05]

This originally began as a fight to allow breweries to have more freedom in how they distribute their product (e.g. convenient, 64oz growlers, instead of 32 oz or unwieldy 128oz sizes). In typical fashion, the momentum shifted 180degrees, by effectively allowing more sizes but imposing significant regulation and forcing smaller brewers to adhere to a rigid tiered distribution system.

I view this as someone saying, "I'll let you sell your product the way you wanted to, but you can only sell it to my friends, and we'll sell it to your customers for you."

More information

 

[wheels4]

Well right now (small) breweries can sell bottles/cans in their tasting rooms but can not fill a 64 oz. growler. 32 oz. and one gallon growlers can be filled. I've been to breweries in quite a few states and do not remember any other state that allows the brewery to sell bottles/cans from their tasting rooms. So it seems that Florida breweries have an income avenue that most other states do not have while dealing with (small) loss of not being able to fill a 64 oz. growler.

New York is the same way as far as bottles and cans. They also allow 64oz. growlers. I miss the days of walking to Blue Point Brewery...or riding my bike carrying a 1/6 home lol. The good old days.

 

[downtown3641]

Well right now (small) breweries can sell bottles/cans in their tasting rooms but can not fill a 64 oz. growler. 32 oz. and one gallon growlers can be filled. I've been to breweries in quite a few states and do not remember any other state that allows the brewery to sell bottles/cans from their tasting rooms. So it seems that Florida breweries have an income avenue that most other states do not have while dealing with (small) loss of not being able to fill a 64 oz. growler.

Virginia breweries can sell cans and bottles on site and fill growlers.

 

[dustys_dad]

Virginia breweries can sell cans and bottles on site and fill growlers.

Colorado allows this also.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[bford]

Texas breweries can now have tap rooms.

(I might be slightly off on some of this)

Breweries who do not distribute can sell their beers to go on their property.

If you use the 3 tier distribution system, you can't sell bottles to go.


I don't think any breweries can do growler fills at the brewery, regardless of their distribution.

The three tier distribution system is a load of crap these days... but it makes the right people money.. so it stays.

 

[Renoun]

Washington breweries can provide samples, sell by the pour for on premises consumption, sell cans/bottles for offsite consumption, and fill growlers to go too. I'm pretty sure that our large number of small wineries paved the way for microbreweries self distributing and selling on premise.

 

[rico567]

Everyplace is different. This point has been made in various threads in the past, but I'll make it again here. Prohibition was repealed in 1933, yes. But it was replaced by two little words "local option" which set the stage for every conceivable type of wet/dry/humid/regulatory setup imaginable. And when we look at the intervening decades...that's pretty much what we've got!

Here in IL, the hilarious growler trick is that the barkeep has to shrink a seal over the cap with a hair dryer, or a growler would be considered an "open container" under the laws of the Great State of Illinois when taken into such public places where those are prohibited, and not so public places, like one's car.