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

 

Please explore the site and see if you don't learn a thing or two. And remember - please exercise responsibility when enjoying the products of the craft brew industry.

Cheers!