TWO HARBORS, MINN. – Cream ale coursed through a drain on the floor here as Castle Danger Brewery emptied yet another keg of their most popular beer that expired during COVID-19 shutdowns.
"That's just sad," said Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, as he watched the golden liquid flow.
He and two other lawmakers visited the Two Harbors taproom on Friday to hear a plea from the state's largest breweries, who are again asking the Legislature to let them sell growlers.
Breweries that produce more than 20,000 barrels of beer in a year are prohibited from selling the 64-oz. jugs under state law. Lon Larson, co-owner of Castle Danger, said this rule forced layoffs and waste when COVID-19 forced him to close his taproom for months.
Five Minnesota breweries — Schell, Summit, Surly, Fulton and Castle Danger — have surpassed the 20,000 barrel production mark. Others, like Lift Bridge Brewing Co. in Stillwater and Indeed Brewing Co. in Minneapolis, are nearing the milestone.
Jim Diley, co-owner of Fulton Beer, said he believes Minnesota's largest breweries are the only in the country prohibited by state law from selling offsale beer.
"If we were a bakery, you would think it's crazy that you can't take a great doughnut home," he added.
The growler cap was installed as part of legislation to protect Minnesota's three-tiered liquor system, which regulates the relationship between the three separate arms of the state's industry — producers, distributors and retailers.
Distributors and retailers have previously lobbied against efforts to raise or remove the growler cap, arguing that a change would benefit big producers at the expense of small restaurants, bars and liquor stores.
"Everyone involved in the hospitality industry — restaurants, bars, breweries and more — is hurting due to COVID-related restrictions and shutdowns," Tony Chesak, executive director of the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association, said in a statement. "We hope legislators focus on continued relief packages for ALL small businesses in the industry."
Michael Madigan, president of the Minnesota Beer Wholesalers Association, said in a statement that large breweries "do not need any further competitive advantages to the detriment of the restaurants, bars, and other industry members who have been devastated by the pandemic."
At Castle Danger on Friday, Nash, Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) and Sen. John Jasinski (R-Faribault) said they planned to introduce bills to raise the growler cap next week.
Katie Galioto • 612-673-4478
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January 30, 2021 at 03:09AM
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Down the drain: Castle Danger dumps beer as it pushes to 'free the growler' - Minneapolis Star Tribune
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