New Texas laws: Beer-to-go allows people to buy, take home beer from breweries starting Sept. 1
September 1 is a big day for beer drinkers in Texas, as people will be allowed to buy and take home packaged beer from their favorite local brewery.
House Bill 1545 allows a customer to buy one case of beer (24 12 oz. cans or 288 oz. total) per day from the brewery. Texas was the last state in the U.S. to not allow direct take-home purchases from a brewery until Gov. Greg Abbott signed the legislation over the summer.
The legislation was one of the most difficult to get through the Texas Legislature this year, but was able to be passed after a compromise was struck between the growing number of craft brewers pushing for the change and the powerful wholesale beer distributors in the state.
Craft brewers had been working for nearly a decade to get the law changed.
“Thank you to all that have called your Representatives and Senators to voice your support for #BeerToGo. We played the long game and won!” Peticolas Brewing Company said after the bill’s passage. While a number of local breweries have signed packaging deals allowing for their beer to be sold in stores, Peticolas had not and will be offering canned beer for the first time in its history.
Many North Texas craft breweries are throwing parties on Sunday to celebrate the new law. Some of the bigger ones include:
Community Beer Co.: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Lakewood Brewing Co.: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Martin House Brewing Co.: 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Oak Highlands Brewery: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Peticolas Brewing Co.: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Texas Ale Project: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Tupps Brewery: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Wild Acre Brewing Co.: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.