By: Bryan Mann-Entzel
Creative Lead, Managing Partner
Have you ever stopped to wonder why you can’t purchase cans or bottles of beer at a local brewery the same way you can buy a bottle of wine at a winery in MN? Or why just when a brewery finds success, they “size-out” of being able to sell growlers… the thing that helped them grow to begin with? The answer why is honestly illusive. For those who aren’t aware, in MN, breweries are closed out from being able to sell growlers once they exceed 20,000 barrels of beer brewed(sold) per year. By comparison, WI caps growler sales for breweries at 300,000–a difference of 15x! Additionally, many surrounding states allow much broader sales of alcohol as a whole, including at gas stations, and allow for on and off-sale at bars.
When you compare MN to all of our surrounding states, they all allow can sales on-premise. Imagine if you couldn’t buy a winery’s wine to-go at their experience center, or if you could eat at a bakery but not buy a box of donuts to go. Neither of those industries would likely survive long. The fortunate truth is, our brewery industry in MN has created a rich experience for us to enjoy at their destinations but again… imagine if you will, attending a concert and not being able to take home the artist’s CD. Bonkers! It smacks of anti-competition.
In many ways, Minnesota’s various restrictions seem to go against the notion of fair competition, success, and revenue generation. That is why we would like to add our voice to the movement to update the laws governing the craft alcohol industry in MN, and specifically the craft beer industry. Let’s allow creators to sell their products on-premise regardless if it is beer, wine, or spirits. Add your voice at mncraftbrew.org/take action.
Want to learn more about our own experience with the Craft Food and Beverage industry? We have a whole strategy “white paper” created around the experience marketing and design needs for the craft beer, wine, spirits, ice-cream, coffee, and bakery industries. Let’s connect and talk!
