With breweries across the nation struggling to survive in the face of a global pandemic, the Texas Brewers Guild has introduced a petition asking the Governor to invoke emergency powers that might help Texas brewers survive the unprecedented impact of COVID-19.
Here’s the deal…
With the entire country reeling from the disastrous impact of COVID-19, this is an incredibly volatile time for small businesses and their workers in the food, beverage, and hospitality industry.
All of Texas’ 360+ brewery taprooms (as well as the thousands of bars and restaurants they rely on for sales) are now CLOSED, largely moving to more limited To-Go only models in respect for public health and social distancing.
These changes leave many brewery workers without a job to do in a time of extreme economic duress.
To help Texas small breweries and their workers weather this economic crisis, and allow Texans to continue getting local beer while limiting person-to-person contact, the Texas Brewers Guild is asking for federal and state relief measures to help ALL small businesses better survive this maelstrom.
The Texas Brewers Guild has introduced a petition asking Governor Greg Abbott to exercise his emergency powers to:
- Allow Texas breweries and brewpubs to continue the production of beer and remain open for beer-to-go sales, including take-out, drive-thru and curbside pickup while abiding by all federal, state and local health and safety guidelines.
- Temporarily allow Texas breweries and brewpubs to deliver beer directly to consumers at their homes/apartments.
- Temporarily allow Texas breweries and brewpubs to make direct-to-consumer beer shipments.
- Temporarily suspend the collection of TABC excise tax payments so brewers don’t have to choose between paying a tax bill and making payroll.
- Issue excise tax credits for any surplus beer that is disposed of as a result of COVID-19 impacts.
More than 14,418 Texans have already signed this petition and state residents who haven’t already, can do so HERE.