Sun King and other small Indiana breweries are a step closer to being allowed to make more beer.
The House Public Policy Committee passed a bill from Rep. Ed Clere (R-New Albany) that would allow craft beer brewers to triple the amount of beer they can make and sell within the state each year.
Right now, the limit is 30,000 barrels - if a brewery makes more, it has to obtain a different permit and is no longer allowed to distribute its own beer.
Nearly all of Indiana‘s small brewers supported the bill, which is also backed by the state’s two biggest breweries, Sun King and 3 Floyds.
Last year, Sun King officials say they produced 26,000 barrels of beer, and without a change in law, might have approached the 30,000 barrel limit this year if prior year growth trends continue.
Sun King also decided in December to end agreements it had with distributors to sell its beer outside the greater Indianapolis area and in Bloomington, fearing that it was nearing the state‘s production limit.
3 Floyds had similar concerns, with officials there saying they produced more than 21,000 barrels of beer in 2014.
The brewers say lifting the limits help them continue to grow and create jobs. A similar bill from Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) that would double production limits to 60,000 barrels a year is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Public Policy Committee Wednesday.
