A Celebratory Beer

Some Minnesota craft breweries have started selling growlers on Sundays since the Minnesota legislature passed the 2015 liquor omnibus bill and Governor Dayton signed the bill into law. Several Minnesota cities such as Mongomery, Buffalo, Shakopee, and Goodview all moved swiftly to give their local small brewers and brewpubs the option to sell growlers on Sundays. Today, Minneapolis and Duluth will join the ranks of municipalities that will give qualifying brewers the option to sell, and consumers the choice to buy, growlers of local craft beer on Sundays in Minnesota.

More Equal Than Others

Sadly, several Minnesota craft brewers are now further isolated from brewing brethren. Even before the change brewers like Schell’s, Summit, and Surly couldn’t sell growlers Mon-Sat. The law change clearly illustrates Minnesota laws purposely dividing the Minnesota brewing industry, much like the needless production and distribution restrictions on our award winning brewpubs. A full repeal would have given all Minnesota liquor retailers an equal opportunity while maintaining a (mostly) level playing field.

1st Sunday Growlers sold in Big Lake @LupulinBrewing @MNBeerActivists #mnleg pic.twitter.com/kIi5gflqs4

— Brian Burke (@BigLakeBri) June 1, 2015

Excuses and Exceptions

The option to sell growlers is surely a victory for some small brewers and consumers alike. However, the baby step of allowing growlers is bittersweet for many Minnesota consumers. The vast majority of Minnesotans support repealing the ban on Sunday liquor sales, not just some brewpubs and breweries. Sunday growlers was the smallest step that could have been taken down the road toward full repeal. Sunday growlers sales do not benefit liquor stores that want to be open, or consumers of wine or spirits, or Minnesota Craft Distillers. And, Sunday growler sales certainly do not help consumers that don’t live near a qualifying brewery or would rather not pay growler prices.

Many legislators offered excuses for not supporting an amendment. One legislator was afraid of lawsuit,  some legislators cited competition concerns for municipal owned and operated liquor stores, and some legislators wanted statewide repeal instead of the municipal option that Rep. Jenifer Loon’s amendment would have provided.

Strangely enough, Sunday growler sales is now legal in Minnesota, but via the municipal option many cited for avoiding full repeal. Minnesota cities, or governing bodies with jurisdiction, may choose not to allow the Sunday growlers if their leaders don’t like the change. In Saint Paul, retiring longtime City Council member Dave Thune voted against Sunday growler sales.

@MNBeerActivists Thune talks about small businesses, but aren’t the breweries small businesses too?

— Lindsay M-B (@LiHuMa) May 28, 2015

Next Steps

The change to allow Sunday growlers in Minnesota, if a municipality approves, is certainly a positive step toward full repeal. But, Sunday growler sales is the smallest of steps that the Minnesota Legislature could have taken toward full repeal of the Sunday prohibition on off-sale liquor sales. There is much further to go before Minnesota liquor laws reach a level of parity with most of America and every surrounding state. Maybe by next session a year of consumers driving past liquor stores on Sundays to go breweries will soften the opposition from special interest groups like Teamsters Joint Council 32, Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association, The Minnesota Beer Wholesalers Assoc, and Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association.

The Best way to move legislators to full repeal is with action.
Minnesotans supporting full repeal need to do several things:

• Sign the petition to allow Sunday liquor sales at SundaySalesMN.org, share it with friends and family.
• Politely contact legislators regarding their votes on Sunday liquor sales amendments (record below). You can find your legislators contact info here.
• Vote out legislators that refuse to listen to their constituents.
• Support legislators that are listening to Minnesota consumers. Volunteer, donate, and take advantage of the Political Contribution Refund. The Political Contribution Refund program gives eligible Minnesota voters a tax refund for contributions to parties and state-level candidates. The maximum annual refund is $50 for an individual or $100 for a married couple (if you file a joint Political Contribution Refund application). Full details and instructions on Political Contribution Refunds here.

How They Voted

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