With the creation of the House Small Brewers Caucus in the United States House of Representatives, the small brewing community in America gained an extremely important forum in Washington, DC.

The Caucus was formed in 2007 by interested Members of Congress to gain a better understanding of all aspects of small brewing, from business and regulatory issues to the brewing process and history of the small brewing community. Co-chaired by Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) and Dennis Rehberg (R-Montana), the purpose of the House Small Brewers Caucus is to provide elected officials and their staff an interactive opportunity to learn about the dynamics of running a small business as a brewery and the quality, process and value of craft beers and small brewing activities.

While small breweries share many of the same priorities and concerns that other small businesses have, brewing is a highly regulated business and has unique issues that most Americans are not aware of. The Small Brewers Caucus intends to provide information about the science and art of beer and brewing as well as relevant business, regulatory and societal issues.

The following are some areas that the Small Brewers Caucus will cover:

• Flavor and Diversity: What makes beer different
  • Beer as a food and beverage
  • Brewing basics: ingredients, process, quality control, beer flavor and character
• Savoring the Flavor Responsibly
  • Responsible presentation and enjoyment of beer
  • Responsibility to the American community
• Selling Beer
  • Consumer access to choice and quality—access to the marketplace
  • Retail
  • Distribution
  • Marketing and Advertising
• Small Brewers and Regulation – Accounting for the differences: Large vs. Small
  • Impact
  • Safety
  • Government and Agencies

To learn more about the Caucus, visit the official web site.

Recruiting Your Member to Join the Caucus

The Brewers Association strongly believes that every brewery member should contact their Congressman and ask them to join the ranks of the US House of Representatives Small Brewers Caucus.  Make no mistake, we are facing an increasing drumbeat of new regulatory proposals affecting issues from labeling and advertising to food safety matters.  Additionally, the prospect of new legislation aimed at increasing excise taxes looms as a real possibility.  As part of the Caucus, your Congressman will be aware of, and educated about, the issues of importance to small brewers and will ensure that we have the strongest voice possible speaking on our behalf as federal officials consider action on excise taxes, labeling, food safety and any other issue coming before Congress that affects the small brewing community.

House Small Brewers Caucus Roster (as of March 5, 2010)

Note: To join the Small Brewers Caucus, your Congressman should contact either Ed Hill in Representative DeFazio's office (202.225.6416), or Eric Bierwagen in Representative Rehberg's office (202.225.3211).

Contact information for your US Representative can be found on the US House home page; enter your zip code information in the box at the upper left hand corner. Once you've identified your Representative and have the contact information for the Washington, D.C. office, please call, email and fax a request on your brewery's letterhead that they become a part of the House Small Brewers Caucus.

Sample Letter

Following is a sample letter you can use to recruit your Congressman to the Caucus.

Dear Representative ________,

I am writing to ask you to join the House Small Brewers Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Peter DeFazio and Dennis Rehberg.

The purpose of the Small Brewers Caucus is to provide elected officials and their staff an interactive opportunity to learn about the dynamics of running a small business as a brewery and the quality, process and value of craft beers and small brewing activities.

While small breweries share many of the same priorities and concerns that many other small businesses have, brewing is a highly regulated business and has unique issues that most Americans are not aware of. The Small Brewers Caucus will provide information about the science and art of beer and brewing as well as relevant business, regulatory and societal issues, including:

• Brewing basics: ingredients, process, quality control, flavor and character
• Beer as a food and beverage
• Responsible presentation and enjoyment of beer
• Access to the marketplace
• Consumer access to choice and quality
• Marketing and Advertising
• Regulation – Accounting for the differences: Large vs. Small Brewers
  • Economics
  • Government and Agencies

The more than 1,400 American small breweries add a richness to our lives that extends beyond their local communities, contributing to a unique American “craft beer” culture found nowhere else in the world. Not only do small brewers provide the tangible benefits of employment and a strong sense of community service through charitable work, they also have a role in educating an ever-more inquisitive public about the history and traditions of brewing and the diversity of flavors and styles of craft-brewed beer.

To join the Small Brewers Caucus, please contact Representative DeFazio’s office (225-6416) or Rehberg’s office (225-3211).

Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,