HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5581

BYSenate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by  Senators Moore, Warnke, Barr, Williams, West, Sellar, Vognild, Benitz and Tanner)

Revising provisions relating to licensed beer retailers.

House Committe on Commerce & Labor

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Wang, Chair; Cole, Vice Chair; Fisch, Fisher, R. King, O'Brien, Patrick, Sanders, Sayan, C. Smith and Walker.

House Staff:Joan Elgee (786-7166)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 6, 1987

BACKGROUND:

An establishment with a class F wine retailers license whose business is primarily the sale of wine may provide single-serving wine samples of two ounces or less for the purpose of sales promotion.  No comparable authority exists for class E beer retailer licensees to provide beer samples.

A class E beer retailer license authorizes the licensee to sell pasteurized beer at retail in bottles and original packages.  By administrative rule, the Liquor Control Board defines pasteurized beer as beer which has been subject to a process whereby all yeast or micro-organisms are destroyed or removed, preventing any further fermentation of the yeast.  Also by rule, the board limits the maximum container size of packaged beer to 170 fluid ounces.

SUMMARY:

Establishments having class E beer retailers licenses and whose business is primarily the sale of beer and/or wine may provide, free or for a charge, single serving beer samples of two ounces or less for the purpose of sales promotion.  The cost of the sampling may not be borne by any liquor manufacturer, importer, or wholesaler.

"Pasteurized beer" is statutorily defined to include, in addition to the usual and customary meaning, bottle conditioned beer which has been fermented partially or completely in its sales container and which may contain residual active yeast.  The maximum container size for bottle conditioned beer is 170 ounces.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jim Halstrom, Pacific Northwest Brewers Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Microbreweries will be able to have their products sold by the bottle.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.