Favorable Tax Reforms & TTB Exemptions Made

Boulder, CO • December 21, 2015—The Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers—is pleased to report that Congress has passed favorable tax reforms that will significantly benefit small brewers. Additionally, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) updated and expanded the formula rule, providing long-sought-after exemptions for the industry.

The tax extenders package for small beverage alcohol producers includes favorable reforms related to bond requirements and extended filing periods. The plan makes the tax cuts for equipment permanent, while also significantly raising the qualifying threshold. Additionally, the bill includes language that would keep any of the funds made available by this or any other act to be used to implement or enforce any provision of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.

“Passing this bill means less red tape for small business that are such an important economic multiplier.”

“These filing and bonding requirements are an important victory for small and independent brewers, and we are thrilled that these provisions have been included in the tax extenders bill,” said Bob Pease, chief executive officer, Brewers Association. “We are extremely grateful to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) for his leadership in bringing the entire beverage alcohol space behind well thought out proposals that benefit us all. We also appreciate Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) making this legislation a priority to help small alcohol producers across the country.”

“Small brewers, vintners and distillers are fermenting economic growth in every corner of Oregon and across the United States,” Wyden said. “Passing this bill means less red tape for small business that are such an important economic multiplier. I hope this is only the first round of common sense legislation to cut taxes and unnecessary regulations for America’s craft beverage industry.”

“As co-chairman of the Small Brewers Caucus, I’m pleased to have worked on this bipartisan legislation to simplify the paperwork that small brewers in Pennsylvania have to file with the IRS,” Kelly said. “Now they’ll be able to file their excise taxes quarterly instead of every two weeks, which means they’ll be able to spend less time filing out tax forms‎ and can get back to what they do best—brewing quality craft beverages in the Commonwealth.”

“From cider to wine, beer and spirits, the craft beverage industry holds an important and growing role in Oregon’s and the nation’s economy,” said Blumenauer. “Passage of this bill will better target the rules governing these industries and will expand opportunities for small entrepreneurs across the country.”

Seperately, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) updated and expanded the formula rule, exempting ingredients and processes used in the production of beer from being subjected to formula requirements.

“This is also a key win, given the revival and growing popularity of numerous beer styles, such as fruit and spice beers,” added Pease. “It takes a substantial burden off the brewer of having to specifically label ingredients that are already well known to the trade and consumers by their flavor designation.”

Contact: Matt Sutton (on behalf of the Brewers Association), (212) 255-8478

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup^SM, Great American Beer Festival^®, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America^®, SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, AHA National Homebrewers Conference, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week^®. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association. Follow us on Twitter.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.