Bill > H152

This bill expands the ability of farmer-breweries, which are licensed to produce beer and often operate on farms, to sell their products. It amends Chapter 138 of the General Laws to allow farmer-breweries to obtain special licenses to sell beer produced by them in sealed bottles for off-premise consumption at agricultural events, provided the brewery produces no more than six million barrels of malt beverages annually. These sales must be conducted by authorized representatives to individuals over 21 years old, and the bill also permits the provision of free, limited samples of beer at these events. To qualify for such a license, an applicant must submit a plan to the Department of Agricultural Resources demonstrating the event is indeed an agricultural event, which the department will certify based on various factors like the event's focus on local agricultural products and the presence of an on-site manager. The bill also establishes an advisory committee to study and develop standards for farmer-breweries, focusing on the use of locally grown ingredients and production levels, and to report its findings and recommendations.