The number of active Florida breweries increased by 4 in March 2014. Newcomers include Motorworks Brewing, Six Ten Brewing, Sea Dog Brewing Co. – Clearwater, and BrewHub. In addition, Yuengling Brewing Co. – Tampa is back in action, and Sailfish Brewing Co. makes the jump from the brewpub ranks. They’re all reflected on The Florida Breweries Report. Notes...
Continue ReadingAs Florida-made craft beer, spirits, and wine continue to grow in popularity, Florida beverage manufacturers may find it hard to keep up with demand. Every growing manufacturer must ask: Should we expand? Deciding to expand involves answering a slew of questions, all while keeping existing production on track. This article reviews four primary questions a manufacturer must answer when...
Continue ReadingThe number of breweries in Florida is growing rapidly, and existing Florida breweries are expanding steadily. To help Florida breweries and their supports stay informed about this expanding industry, we are beginning a new monthly feature: The Florida Breweries Report.
Continue ReadingThe 2014 session of the Florida Legislature ended, Friday, May 2. Twelve bills were proposed to change Florida laws governing the beverage industry. None of them got passed by both houses of the Legislature. The only beverage bill that got to a floor vote–Senate Bill 1714, which passed the Senate by a vote of 30-10–was loudly decried by Florida...
Continue Reading***Updated April, 27, 2014 9:00 pm to reflect proposed strike-all amendment to Senate Bill 1714 filed by bill sponsor, Senator Kelli Stargel. Updates reflected as struck-through and underlined text.*** This past week saw action on only two beverage bills, but the action was dramatic. With one week remaining in the 2014 Florida legislative session, the story becomes a tale...
Continue ReadingHappy Easter! With most legislators out of Tallahassee this past week, there was not much action on the beverage bills being consider by the Florida Legislature. That will change come Monday, when legislators return for the two-week sprint to the end of the 2014 session. The two Senate beverage bills showing signs of life–SB 470 and SB 1714–are both...
Continue ReadingThe stage is set for the home stretch of the Florida Legislature’s 2014 session. This upcoming week, legislators return home for an Easter-week break. When they return on April 21, it will be a two-week sprint to the finish on May 2, 2014. Will any of the beverage bills make it to the end? It’s looking doubtful. This week,...
Continue ReadingIt was a pretty quiet week for the beverage bills pending in the Florida Legislature–a little too quiet. With less than a month to go in the 2014 session and a week-long break beginning April 14, these beverage bills better get moving. We continue our recap of the action (and inaction) of the goings-on with the Florida beverage bills...
Continue ReadingBeverage industry bills pending in the Florida Legislature–specifically the beer bills–saw exciting action during the week of March 24. House and Senate committees heard impassioned testimony from Florida brewers. Three beer bills were unanimously passed out of committee, but in each case the passed bill differed from the original version, the result of late-filed amendments. It’s getting hard to...
Continue ReadingThe Florida Legislature is considering a pair of bills aimed at Florida’s wine and spirits importers. House Bill 1201 and Senate Bill 1552 are mirror images of one another. If passed, the bills would make technical corrections surrounding the “American source of supply” designation and would prohibit alteration of imported bottles of wine or spirits.
Continue Reading