Comments on: How Current Laws Suppress Craft Beer in Michigan

By: Ken Braley

Ken Braley — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:35:23 +0000

Hey Todd,

Thanks for all of the great information. I am looking into opening a brew pub and am very interested in the limitations. I will research further to get a better understanding from a legal sense. Looks like I have a lot to learn in this new possible career.

By: Todd Parker

Todd Parker — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:23:26 +0000

A microbrewery can sell it’s beer outside of it’s doors via a distributor, it can sell it’s beers in a “tasting room” (which can be spartan or it can have food), it cannot sell booze or wine (unless they make it themselves and thus have a distillers and/or winemakers license in addition to their brewers license), and they cannot have guest beers.
A brewpub can only sell it’s beer’s within it’s doors. It can have guest beers, wine, and booze. It must operate a full service kitchen with 25% of it gross sales from non-alcoholic means.
Yes, you need a beer license to sell your own brew.
FOr more info go to http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis/Brewer-_Micro_Brewer_211769_7.pdf

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:44:57 +0000

what is the difference between a microbrewery and a brewpub?

also does anyone know if you need a beer/wine license to sell your own brew?

Thanks for any input.

By: Todd Parker

Todd Parker — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:52:18 +0000

Sorry Brian but except for Arbor Brewing/Corner Brewery which as I understand it is “different owner” type situation (e.g. loophole). If you were thinking that New Holland’s pub is a brewpub, it isn’t, it is a microbrewery. Detroit Beer Co is a brewpub and the Detroit Dwarf and Detroit Lager are contract brewed at Atwater. Kuhnhenn, Dragonmead, Kings, Shorts, Black Lotus, Founders, and Sherwoods (and more) are all microbreweries, they may have a pub (technically a tasting room) but they are not brewpubs, they cannot sell guest beer or wine or booze (unless they make it themselves).

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:21:11 +0000

It seems like a few brewers have found a way around #2 & #3.

By: Pete Fid

Pete Fid — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:37:15 +0000

Toddo:
Interesting historical analysis of the law in this area. I would be interested to hear what “bigger lobbies” are working against your guild’s lobbying efforts. It would seem the entire restaurant/bar industry would want to overhaul all the rules in this area, since they must be subject to the hangover (pun intended) from pre-prohibition rules too.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:42:46 +0000

Great article!

Indiana has some crazy laws too. You can buy wine from a winery on Sunday, but you cannot buy beer from a brewpub/brewery on Sunday.

By: Spencer

Spencer — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:38:20 +0000

Hey, Todd,

Thanks for this look at the legal issues. It makes me wonder how many breweries/brewpubs we would have without these constraints. We’ve got, what, 70 breweries/brewpubs as it is?