At the adjournment of the 114th Congress, S. 1562, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act,had 52 total sponsors in the U.S. Senate and H.R. 2903 has 289 total sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.The legislation incorporates provisions of the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act (Small BREW Act), excise tax recalibration legislation supported by the Brewers Association in the past several Congresses.
S. 1562/H.R. 2903 would reduce excise taxes, compliance burdens, and regulations on breweries, cideries, wineries, and distilleries. Tax provisions for breweries include: 1) Any domestic brewery that produces less than 2 million barrels a year would pay $3.50/barrel on the first 60,000 barrels and $16 barrel on anything above 60,000-2 million barrels; 2) Any domestic brewery that produces more than 2 million barrels a year would pay $16/barrel on their first 6 million barrels; 3) All importers would pay $16/barrel on the first barrel they import through 6 million barrels. Those importers that import more than 2 million barrels would pay $18/barrel on any barrel over 6 million.
Identical or similar legislation will be introduced early in the 115th Congress.