Senate Bill Could Bring Big Change at Local Breweries

Craft breweries have soared in popularity in recent years, and the S.C. Senate is currently working on a bill that many local brewers say will be a boon for their bottom lines.

Current law limits the amount of beer production breweries can serve to any single patron to 16 ounces per day. Usually that means four 4-ounce sample cups, but a bill currently in the Senate could increase that to 64 ounces. One hang-up ABCNews4 reports, is the amount of insurance the Senators may require breweries to carry.

The brewers say the policies called for in the latest amendment to the bill are too costly for their small businesses to afford, but point to other states that have already worked out ways to allow breweries to serve more than 16 ounces per guest.

The Senate could vote on the bill again on Tuesday. The South Carolina Brewers Association is hopeful the insurance language can be changed to make it feasible for Palmetto State brewers.