Brewery bill tabled but dispute isn't over

The battle brewing between bars and breweries was temporarily put to rest when House Bill 616 was tabled by the House Business and Labor Committee on April 3.

Sponsored by Rep. Roger Hagan, R-Great Falls, the bill called for new licensing requirements and would have required breweries with retail sales to purchase a $100,000 license. The bill was backed by the Montana Tavern Association, which claims small craft breweries had become full-scale retail establishments with too few restrictions.

The tavern owners claimed the original intent of current state law was to allow breweries to have tasting rooms, but the law was revised in the 1990s to allow visitors up to 48 ounces per day up to 8 p.m., and now some breweries sell nearly all their product in tasting rooms.

Opponents called HB616 a “brewery killing bill,” and Hagan asked the House committee to table the bill after he encountered strong resistance from small brewers and their fans.

In the meantime, the House passed a joint resolution calling for an interim study of the state’s brewery laws, meaning the matter is far from settled.