Big Brother Set to Endorse Craft Brews

A government resolution that "encourages beer-lovers of the United States to celebrate American Craft Beer Week through events at microbreweries, brewpubs, and beer stores across the United States"? I'll drink to that. And it's looking like the House of Representatives will, too. On April 22, House of Representatives Resolution H. Res. 1297 [link leads to a PDF file] was introduced, with the purpose of "supporting the goals and ideals of American Craft Beer Week," a national celebration of small and indie brewers with events all over the country ranging from beer festivals to beer dinners. Its passage is looking like "a no-brainer," says Julia Herz, the craft beer program director at the Brewers Association, who says that a similar resolution passed in 2006.

Even though these types of resolutions are more symbolic than anything, the fact that the House of Representatives wants to get behind American Craft Beer Week is a big deal for the industry, says Herz, who thinks it could help bolster support for the three pieces of legislation that are currently active in Congress that aim to reduce the excise tax for small brewers. It's also "a true testament that Congress is recognizing all that small brewers do," she says, noting that the text of H. Res. 1297 calls out the jobs craft brewers bring to small communities, the support they give to American agriculture, and the way they embody the "innovative spirit" of the United States. "All they are doing is stating the obvious," says Herz. Hear, hear.

American Craft Beer Week is May 17 through 23 if you want to do your civic beer drinking duty.

Image source: Flickr member epicbeer under Creative Commons