Tag Archives: microbreweries

Tesla tries another approach to getting access to Texas

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed, change your strategy. Tesla Motors’ Lone Star ambitions won the blessing of the Texas GOP at the party convention in Dallas this month, paving the path towards a possible end to the three years … Continue reading →

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The latest example of how nuts our beer laws are

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Ridiculous. The latest flashpoint between Texas beer lovers and state beer law is a 32-ounce aluminum can that bars and restaurants fill with beer and sell to be consumed off-site. The can, called a crowler, is praised for its convenience … Continue reading →

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Craft beer lawsuit

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. On the same day merger talk surfaced regarding the world’s two biggest beer companies, a small Dallas brewery announced its own effort to shake up the industry in Texas. Deep Ellum Brewing Co. launched the … Continue reading →

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A brewpub comes back to Houston

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

In my ‘hood, no less. A new brewpub will open in the Heights with an accomplished veteran of the Texas craft-beer scene at the helm. Delicious Concepts Restaurant Group, which owns Lola, Shepherd Park Draught House, Witchcraft Tavern and seven … Continue reading →

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Eltife not running for re-election

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

He will be missed. After 23 years in elected office, state Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, said he will not run for re-election in 2016 to devote more time to family, friends, his work and his community. Eltife said he’s loved … Continue reading →

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Keg dispute

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Your beer choices at certain fancy restaurants in Houston have been curtailed. A dispute over deposit fees for kegged beers could slow the flow of several craft brands, including a few that are made locally, at some of Houston’s best-known … Continue reading →

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Karbach’s new brewery

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, Houston has a lot of craft breweries, with the venerable Saint Arnold being the biggest, oldest, and best known. With the forthcoming opening of their new facility, I’d say Karbach is making a strong case to be … Continue reading →

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Who’s up for a macrobrewery tour?

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This used to be a thing in Houston, and now it is once again. The local Anheuser-Busch plant was under construction at the same time as the Astrodome, and its ambitions were just as grand. With an annual capacity of … Continue reading →

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More on this session’s beer bills

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

A story from the DMN about the state of microbreweries and beer-related legislation in Texas. Brewers say they rely on word of mouth among diehard enthusiasts, so they want drinkers — particularly those from out of state — to introduce … Continue reading →

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Beer legislation 2.0

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Just because craft brewers succeeded in passing a bill allowing them to sell beer for consumption on their premises last session doesn’t mean there isn’t more that can be done to advance the cause of beer freedom. Twinned bills introduced … Continue reading →

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Tesla tries again

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve brought more firepower to the fight this time, by which I mean “more lobbyists”, but we’ll see if they can break through. Let the car haggling resume at the Texas Capitol. A group of state lawmakers on Thursday filed … Continue reading →

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The Fair BEER Act

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I’m in. The act would reform the federal beer tax imposed on brewers and beer importers and give a special boost to small brewers. The idea is to create a laddered rate that is based on how much a brewer … Continue reading →

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My craft beer options runneth over

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

2015 could be a very fine year. Several local brewery construction projects headed for completion in 2015 are designed to draw in visitors as well as ship beer out the door. The neighborhood-centric Town In City Brewing Co. in the … Continue reading →

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Tesla is back

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them better luck this time, but I wouldn’t expect anything to come of it. Proposals to allow direct car sales in Texas stalled during the 2013 legislative session, but the Pala Alto, California-based automaker appears poised to rev … Continue reading →

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Microbreweries file lawsuit over distribution rights

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Three Texas breweries filed a lawsuit against the state on Wednesday seeking to to overturn a 2013 law they say violates the Texas Constitution by forcing them to give away their territorial distribution rights for free. In their complaint, … Continue reading →

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Good times for the craft brewers

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot more growth to come for the craft brewing industry. Texas’ smaller craft breweries increased production last year by nearly half and made deeper gains in the overall beer market, suggesting the industry’s growth spurt will continue. “Yes, … Continue reading →

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The microbreweries aren’t done with the Legislature

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Microbreweries took a big step forward in 2013, but there’s still more to be done. The 2013 legislative session, which featured the largest overhaul of the beer industry since 1993, was viewed by many observers as a watershed moment for … Continue reading →

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Tesla’s stealth visit to San Antonio

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

May mean something, or it may not. A pair of executives from Tesla Motors Inc., the electric carmaker that’s scouting a location for its planned $5 billion “gigafactory,” secretly met here Wednesday with top city and county officials, a person … Continue reading →

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Tesla and Texas

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Tesla Motors currently can’t sell its cars in Texas via its preferred model of direct sales to consumers. Its attempts to modify state laws to allow for direct sales went nowhere last session, blocked by fierce opposition from the Texas … Continue reading →

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Pot polling

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Our favorite pollsters aren’t optimistic about pot legalization despite some good looking poll numbers for it. In the February 2014 University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, we asked respondents for their opinions on marijuana possession and gave them four options to … Continue reading →

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Big Brew

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I like the sound of this. For three days in October, the [George R. Brown] convention center will host Big Brew, a major new festival that aims to tap into the region’s burgeoning craft-beer scene by putting 1,000 beers out … Continue reading →

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Craft beer: Still good for your economy

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Yet another study says so. Texas ranks second only to California in the economic impact derived from craft brewing, a report from the Brewers Association says. This burgeoning class of smaller, independently owned craft breweries, along with their distributors, retailers … Continue reading →

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Karbach set to expand

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Fast-growing Karbach Brewing Co. intends next year to build a new brewery that will give it the capacity to make three times as much beer as it has made in 2013 and, eventually, several times that. The … Continue reading →

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Good times for craft distillers

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Just as Texas’ craft brewing industry finally got legislation passed that will allow them to operate more freely, so too did Texas craft distillers. Gov. Rick Perry on Monday declared September “Texas Craft Spirits Month” as the state begins to … Continue reading →

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A preview of the next beer battle

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas microbreweries are now officially selling their wares on premise. Woo hoo! In business for nearly 19 years, Saint Arnold Brewing Co. sold its first cold one directly to a customer [in June], thanks to a new law liberalizing the … Continue reading →

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Craft beer bills now officially the law

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever you think of the vetoes or the special session action, this is unequivocally good news. Happy hour started Friday afternoon for Texas brewers. Gov. Rick Perry signed five bills representing the most comprehensive overhaul in two decades of how … Continue reading →

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Tesla will be back

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This story was from earlier in June. Texas’ state legislature failed to vote on a bill backed by Musk’s Tesla Motors (TSLA) that would have loosened the state’s restriction on dealerships owned by automakers. The legislature concluded its most recent … Continue reading →

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Craft beer bills pass the House

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Hallelujah! A raft of bills that would dramatically alter the way beer is sold and consumed in Texas sailed through tentative approval from the House on Friday after a lengthy and disputatious process between brewers and beer distributors. If finally … Continue reading →

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Craft distilling

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We’re all familiar with the craft brewing industry in Texas, but did you know there is also a growing number of craft distillers in the Lone Star State? Whether you knew that or not, you will probably not be surprised … Continue reading →

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Where things stand with two weeks to go in the legislative session

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

With the Thursday midnight deadline for bills to pass on second reading in the House, I figured this would be a good time to take a look at the status of some major legislation and legislative priorities. There are two … Continue reading →

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Auto dealers versus Tesla

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m pretty sure the dealers will win this round, but I doubt they can win in the long run. Texas auto dealers and their lobbyists in Austin are targeting legislation that would allow Tesla Motor Inc. to sell its all-electric … Continue reading →

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Craft beer bills pass out of House committee

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From Open The Taps. After waiting in a long queue of bills that were sent from the Senate to the House, the Craft Beer Bills (SBs 515-518 and 639) should see some movement again this week. Our team in Austin … Continue reading →

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What does Tesla Motors have in common with microbreweries?

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Both are forbidden by archaic laws from selling their wares direct to the public. Electric car maker Elon Musk wants to bet big on Texas – but he’s having trouble getting his chips on the table. Musk, a South African-born … Continue reading →

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Craft beer bills pass out of the Senate

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A good day indeed. The Texas Senate voted Monday to give craft brewers and brewpubs new opportunities to sell their beer. “To see that happen was amazing,” said Scott Metzger, a San Antonio brewpub owner who worked with other brewers, … Continue reading →

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