Lawmaker Wants Minnesota To Eliminate ‘Growler Cap’ on Beer Makers

(KNSI) – A St. Cloud lawmaker wants craft breweries to be able to keep selling growlers even if they brew more than 20,000 barrels of beer a year. State Representative Dan Wolgamott will introduce legislation to eliminate the “growler cap,” which bars a brewery from selling the 64 oz to-go containers if they produce more than the 20,000 barrel cap.

Wolgamott’s bill will receive an informational hearing in front of the House Commerce Committee on Wednesday at 1 p.m. The growler cap law was last updated in 2015 and before that in 2013.

Minnesota is the only state in the country with breweries that cannot sell growlers.

Submitted by Rep. Wolgamott’s Office

“It’s time to help the craft brewing industry recover from the pandemic, create local jobs, and score a victory for Minnesota’s beer drinkers by eliminating the growler cap,” said Rep. Wolgamott. “As breweries in St. Cloud and around the state continue to grow, I don’t want them to be forced to close their taprooms because they can’t make enough profit without growler sales to justify staying open. We need to reward success, stand up for consumers, and remove the growler cap.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Wolgamott authored legislation to raise the growler cap in 2020 from 20,000 barrels to 40,000 barrels a year.

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