Craft Beer Bill Passes Senate: SB 754 Would Protect Microbrewers

The IL Senate just voted 48-1-3 to pass Senate Bill 754, which helps define a craft brewer and a brewpub as well as retaining self distribution rights for microbrewers across Illinois. The bill still has to pass the House as well as get the governor's signature, but the overwhelming support for this bill certainly indicates that it's well on its way to becoming law.

In the short term, this bill will mean that breweries like Big Muddy and Argus can continue to self distribute, that future microbrewers have the option of bringing their crafts to market themselves up to a 7500 barrel limit, and that Anheuser-Busch won't get the majority stake in City Beverage that they wanted in the first place. It's not a perfect bill by a longshot, but we consider this a "win" for the craft beer community in Illinois.

Read more on Guys Drinking Beer