This email was sent to the Craft Beer in Michigan group sometime this week. It originated from Charlie Papazian. It gives you information on a fight to prevent a Federal Excise Tax on brewers. Please if you have time read it.
Some of you are aware of the headline discussions in Washington DC this week and last week regarding proposals to dramatically increase Federal Excise Tax on brewers and other alcohol beverage industries. Brewers Association staff and those who are working on behalf of the Brewers Association in Washington, DC are in daily and regular communications on how to best represent small brewers concerns in these very critical discussions. Dramatic excise tax increases would be harmful to both small brewery businesses and to the existing American beer culture of enjoyment and responsibility.
In order to gain strategic ground before any Federal Excise Tax increase was proposed, the Brewers Association earlier this year teamed up with the Beer Institute to help introduce two bills advocating a reduction in Federal Excise Tax. These two bills are House Bill H.R. 836 and Senate Bill S.1058. They are helpful as both a defense and as a proactive initiative. H.R. 836 has 178 co-sponsors. S.1058 introduced last week has an initial 7 co-sponsors in the Senate. These two bills can help us push back on proposals to dramatically increase excise taxes on small brewers and the industry as a whole.
Earlier this year you were asked by BA to call your Representatives and ask them to sign on as co-sponsor of H.R. 836. Soon you will be receiving information asking you to call your Senator to become a co-sponsor of S. 1058. Faxing, emailing or calling your congressperson’ s office in Washington , DC or at offices in your state WILL BE CRITICAL to help avoid tax increases on your business. If you need more information contact Pete@brewersassocia tion.org
In addition to the threat of Federal Excise Tax increases, the Administration’ s new budget outline proposes the establishment of annual user fees to fund TTB’s agency budget, which in effect would be an additional tax on brewers and other related industries.
Brewers Association is involved in expressing concerns on behalf of small brewers on these two legislative matters. You may hear from us in the near future regarding actions which you can be involved in on these matters too.
The Brewers Association feels it is of utmost importance during these critical times that the beer industry presents a united and coordinated effort on the federal level. This is why we have teamed with the Beer Institute to help us represent our constituencies. If you are involved or are considering being involved in any other Federal initiatives that would be relevant to American small brewers, please let us know about them.
Contact:
Paul Gatza: paul@brewersassocia tion.org
Pete Johnson: pete@brewersassocia tion.org
Or Charlie Papazian: charlie@brewersasso ciation.org
If you would like to express your thoughts on a board level please contact Government Affairs Committee Chairman, Nick Matt at nickmatt@saranac. com
Note: On June 2, the Brewers Association is hosting a “Celebration of American Craft Beer” reception for congressional representatives and their staff on Capitol Hill. We will recognize the two co-chairs of the House Small Brewers Caucus, Peter DeFazio (OR) and Denny Rehberg (MT). We have about 12 BA member brewers who have expressed to us that they will attend and help represent American small brewers at this reception. Many of them will take the time to meet with their Senators and Representatives before the reception and discuss current matters of concern.
Brewers Association staff and brewery members will also attend and make presentations at the House Small Brewers Caucus’ meeting preceding the reception.
Thank you for your involvement as a member of the Brewers Association,
Charlie Papazian, President
Brewers Association
Posted in Beer Event, Beer Laws, Beer and Politics, beer 
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Thursday the 21st Big Bear Lodge in Flat Rock will be having a beer dinner featuring the beer of New Holland. I am a big fan of their beer. I can not stop drinking their Golden Cap Saisan and The Poet Oatmeal Stout is one of my favorite beers. This event is well worth the price. The ones we have been to have had a representative from the brewery to tell you what you are tasting and stories behind the brands. Below are the event details from their email.
Big Bear Lodge
and
New Holland Brewery
Beer Dinner
Thursday May 21st
7pm – 9pm
Five course dinner paired with five New Holland Brewery Artisan Beers
A fun night with Good Food, Food Friends and Good Beer!
Menu
First course
Campechano Cocktail (a combination of fresh, shrimp, crab meat, avocado & onion)
New Holland Mad Hatter India Pale Ale
Second Course
Chopped Spring Roasted Vegetable Salad with creamy poet oatmeal stout vinaigrette
The Poet Oatmeal Stout
Entree
Basil Garlic Chicken Breast with grilled balsamic peaches, grilled asparagus & planked potatoes
Sun Dog Amber Ale
Intermezzo
Strawberry Basil Sorbet
Full Circle Kolsch-Style
Dessert
Key Lime Cheesecake
New Holland Golden Cap Saisan
This is the final in our spring beer dinner series, we hope you can join us as we celebrate this Michigan beer as well as welcome warm weather with some Good grilled food and of course some Great friends!!
These dinners are a Great way for you to take a break, relax and learn about Beer from the brewers themselves
We always have room for you, so why not gather your friends and join us as celebrate Spring!
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May 18, 2009 by Rob
Muskrat Mashers May 2009 Meeting
Thursday May 28th 6-8 p.m.
Harbor Inn & Ale – Monroe, MI
www.MuskratMashers.com – Thanks to everyone that attended the first meeting. For those that couldn’t attend, we had a wonderful turn out and I think everyone walked away learning something from another attendee. We invite everyone back for our May meeting. This time we hope to have a topic of discussion where members can share more of their tips, tricks and ideas with the group.
Again, this club is for anyone into the homebrewing hobby or interested in learning how to homebrew. Everyone is welcome!
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at: MuskratMashers@gmail.com
See you next week!
Posted in Uncategorized 1 Comment »
If you think this is just another week that you need to get through so you can enjoy the weekend you are wrong. It is American Craft Beer Week (May 11-17) which means there are more than enough beer events in your area to get it through the next 5 days and into the weekend. Here are 5 ways you can make your week more enjoyable through beer.
May 11, Michigan Beer Toast: Michigan ratified the 21st Amendment on April 10, 1933 but still remained a dry state for another month. That is until May 11, 1933 at 6pm when beer went on sale for the first time in about 15 years. 2009 marks the 76th anniversary of that event. A toast will be held at Corner Brewery, Arbor Brewpub, Harbor Inn & Ale. I also heard that there will be a toastat Arcadia, Redwood lodge and with the Beer Barons at Uptown Grille in Commerce.
May 12, Arbor B.C.’s Mai Bock Release Party:6:00 PM. Be the first to taste the deliciousness that is our spring time German bock at the Uskratch Mai Bock release party. Release parties run 6pm-8pm in the Tap Room. This event is free for mug club members, $15 for non-members and includes appetizers, plenty of Mai Bock to go around and exclusive growler discounts. 734.213.1393.
May 13 Arcadia Night @ Ashley’s: Join brewery staff at Ashley’s for a night of all things Arcadia with some great rare brews on tap!
-Cereal Killer Barleywine ‘08
-Bourbon Barrel Aged Big Dick’s
-Russian Imperial Stout ‘08
-Hop Rocket Imperial IPA
-Sky High Rye
-Whitsun Ale
and 2 firkins!
-Angler’s Ale dry-hopped with Cascade
-Hopmouth Double IPA
May 14-16, Fort Street Brewery’s 3rd Annual Wheatstock. 4 new and unusual wheat beer styles will be released (at least one each night). Prizes for best hippie costumes.
May 15-16, Frankenmuth’s World Expo of Beer (WEB). Brought to you by the Frankenmuth JayCees. Held in Heritage Park. 800-Fun-Fest
Friday, May 15,
5-10pm
Sat., May 16,
3-10pm.
Not enough beer events for you? Click here for the Michigan Beer Guide’s events calendar
Posted in Beer Event, beer No Comments »
I know I posted the same this earlier but I wanted to get out a reminder about the Michigan Beer Events being hosted by Arbor Brew Pub and Corner Brewery. Below is an excerpt from the Arbor newsletter.
ABC Brew Pub – Michigan Beer Toast May 11, 2009 06:00 PM
Michigan ratified the 21st Amendment (repealing prohibition) on April 10, 1933 but still remained a dry state for another month. That is until May 11, 1933 at 6pm when beer went on sale for the first time in about 15 years. 2009 marks the 76th anniversary of that event and Arbor Brewing Company is celebrating by hosting an all pub toast. The idea was brought to us by Kevin Nash to raise a glass to the people who fought to repeal the 18th amendment and to the current men and women that have made the Michigan beer scene great. You can read more this hereand join the facebook event here. Join us at Arbor to celebrate this momentous occasion with a complimentary beer sample and toast at 6pm on May 11th.
Michigan Beer Toast May 11, 2009 06:00 PM Michigan ratified the 21st Amendment (repealing prohibition) on April 10, 1933 but still remained a dry state for another month. That is until May 11, 1933 at 6pm when beer went on sale for the first time in about 15 years. 2009 marks the 76th anniversary of that event and we’re celebrating by hosting an all pub toast. The idea was brought to us by Kevin Nash to raise a glass to the people who fought to repeal the 18th amendment and to the current men and women that have made the Michigan beer scene great. You can read more this hereand join the facebook event here.
ABC Brew Pub – Join us at Arbor to celebrate this momentous occasion with a complimentary beer sample and toast at 6pm on May 11th.
Corner Brewery - We’re having a contest to see who can come up with the best toast celebrating the end of prohibition by toasting local beer. Three winners will be asked to make their toast to the bar and will get complimentary brews for the occasion. Email your entries to Joanna@cornerbrewery.com
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What is the best way to kick off American Craft Beer Week in Monroe? By 
attending the Michigan Beer Toast at Harbor Inn and Ale. Just a reminder the toast is Monday, May 11th at 6pm. It is a tribute to all the people who fought for our right to drink and the current men and women that have made Michigan the “Great Beer State”. If you want more information on the toast click on the link below.
http://www.blogsmonroe.com/beer/2009/04/michigan-beer-toast-may-11th-6pm/
Check it out on Facebook.
http://www.blogsmonroe.com/beer/2009/04/michigan-beer-toast-facebook-page/
Harbor Inn & Ale’s Michigan beer list is…
Arcadia: Whitsun
Bell’s: Oberon, Cherry Stout and Porter
Founder’s: Dirty Bastard
We hope to see a good turn out. I plan on having this be annual event that will grow bigger every year.
DISCLAIMER: President Obama will not be attending this event.
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Below is a notice from Mlive about a public meeting tonight. The meeting is to discuss the plans of a Jolly Pumpkin cafe in Dexter. I know it is short notice but if you can make it they could use your support.
Public hearing on beer cafe plans
by Laurel Firant
Saturday May 02, 2009, 3:32 AM
The Dexter Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Monday for a special land use request for Jolly Pumpkin Artesan Ale Monday beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Dexter Senior Center.
Jolly Pumpkin, 3115 Broad St., wants to use about 1,500 square feet of existing office space as a European style beer cafe that serves light snacks.
The applicant would also like to have outdoor seating for about 24 people and/or six tables.
The public hearing will take place at 7720 Ann Arbor St.
Posted in Beer News, Michgan products, beer 5 Comments »
The Arbor Brewing Company’s newsletter showed up in my inbox and I was excited to see that they are taking my idea of the Michigan Beer Toast and doing this with it…
ABC Brew Pub – Michigan Beer Toast May 11, 2009 06:00 PM
Michigan ratified the 21st Amendment (repealing prohibition) on April 10, 1933 but still remained a dry state for another month. That is until May 11, 1933 at 6pm when beer went on sale for the first time in about 15 years. 2009 marks the 76th anniversary of that event and Arbor Brewing Company is celebrating by hosting an all pub toast. The idea was brought to us by Kevin Nash to raise a glass to the people who fought to repeal the 18th amendment and to the current men and women that have made the Michigan beer scene great. You can read more this hereand join the facebook event here. Join us at Arbor to celebrate this momentous occasion with a complimentary beer sample and toast at 6pm on May 11th.
Michigan Beer Toast May 11, 2009 06:00 PM Michigan ratified the 21st Amendment (repealing prohibition) on April 10, 1933 but still remained a dry state for another month. That is until May 11, 1933 at 6pm when beer went on sale for the first time in about 15 years. 2009 marks the 76th anniversary of that event and we’re celebrating by hosting an all pub toast. The idea was brought to us by Kevin Nash to raise a glass to the people who fought to repeal the 18th amendment and to the current men and women that have made the Michigan beer scene great. You can read more this hereand join the facebook event here.
ABC Brew Pub – Join us at Arbor to celebrate this momentous occasion with a complimentary beer sample and toast at 6pm on May 11th.
Corner Brewery - We’re having a contest to see who can come up with the best toast celebrating the end of prohibition by toasting local beer. Three winners will be asked to make their toast to the bar and will get complimentary brews for the occasion. Email your entries to Joanna@cornerbrewery.com
Here is the rest of the newsletter…
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Beer Event, Michgan products, beer No Comments »
April 30, 2009 by jnaz
WSJ article: Eccentric Brewmaster Takes Distribution Fight to Court
In his latest clash with Big Beer, the eccentric former home brewer has sued one of his distributors in a Michigan state court to try to block it from selling the rights to market his products to an Anheuser-Busch InBev distributor.
Posted in Beer Laws, Beer News, Beer and Politics, Brewery/Brewpub, Michgan products 6 Comments »
April 29, 2009 by Rob
(FENTON, Mich) – The French Laundry Café & Market in Fenton has made a major commitment to the Great Lakes State, with the recent announcement that it will be pouring exclusively Michigan draft beer from here on out.
“The Laundry is proud to feature fresh craft beer from local Michigan micro-breweries,” says bartender Jon Foley. “We’ll regularly rotate our nine pulls…with seasonal pulls such as Whitsun – our mainstay summer beer.”
Foley says the rotating beers will span the spectrum of styles, coming from a variety of Michigan breweries including Arbor Brewing, Arcadia Ales, Atwater, Bell’s, Darkhorse, Dragonmead, Founders, Frog Island (Michigan Brewing Company), King’s, New Holland, Sherwood, Short’s and The Livery. Featured selections will be posted each week at the restaurant as well as online at LunchandBeyond.com.
Click here to read the rest of the story – Thanks Todd from BeerAdvocate.com
.
Posted in Beer News 2 Comments »
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