The next state with “responsible and progressive” laws that the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Study Commission will visit is Colorado. The Brewers Association currently ranks them as the #1 state for per-capita economic impact from craft beer, so we are happy with the selection. They must be doing something right.

Colorado’s Brewery Laws

Although we primarily focused on North Carolina as a model state when developing our Proposal Document for the commission, we also considered Colorado’s brewery laws.

  • Direct Sales in Colorado
    • On- and off-premise sales are available to any brewery of any size
    • No transaction or “per person per day” limits
    • No package restrictions (kegs, 6-packs, growlers, etc.)
  • Self-Distribution in Colorado
    • Available to a manufacturer of any size
    • Brewpubs may self-distribute up to 300,000 gallons per calendar year
  • Separate Retail Locations in Colorado
    • Available to a brewpub licensees
    • Manufacturer licensees may sell its own beer at one additional sales room
  • Brewpubs in Colorado
    • May produce up to 60,000 barrels per year
    • At least 15% of the gross on-premise food and drink income must be from the sale of food
    • May sell its own beer for on-premise or off-premise consumption
    • May operate a full bar on-site

Colorado was home of 6 of the top 50 craft brewers in the United States in 2014. Their top producers include well-loved brands like New Belgium Brewing Co, Oskar Blues Brewery, Odell Brewing Co, and Left Hand Brewing Co. Colorado is also the headquarters of the Brewers Association and it hosts the annual Great American Beer Festival.