Beer delivery rules need fixed immediately

UPDATE: Home delivery of packaged beer made legal in West Virginia, 04/02/2020. For breweries, bars, and restaurants. Now le’ts order some beer for delivery.

The word tragedy may not be strong enough. Why does West Virginia not allow its brewers to deliver and/or ship the beer they make directly to their consumer’s home? Beer delivery is a great feature.

• Ohio has no problem with it.
• Virginia has no problem with it
• Maryland has no problem with it.
• Kentucky has no problem with it.

In this time of crisis for small breweries that have lost their on-premise sales, which accounted to the lion’s share of their business, government must be looking for ways to give them every reasonable opportunity to do business that is complaint with the personal distancing world we find ourselves in. Allowing breweries to sell their beer to a customer by phone or online order and then deliver that beer to the customer hurts no one, yet it is not legal in West Virginia. This has got to be fixed.

Delivering and shipping beer can be done in a manner that protects from selling/serving underage individuals. That should not be a problem.

Take off the shackles. Let them do business.

If our surrounding states can allow it, why can’t we? There is no good answer to why we aren’t. The state of West Virginia is doing a real disservice to its small breweries, which have been one of the few bright spots in the manufacturing sector here over the past decade. They hire people. They pay taxes. Let them sell and deliver their products.

The state currently lets its farm wineries ship their wares to customers. It’s been a good thing. We’ve got to allow our brewers to do likewise.

While allowing deliveries and shipping of beer will not alone be the answer to a business’ survival during the crisis, it will surely help many of them keep some cash flowing.

Let your representatives know how you feel

If you want to weigh in on this, contact your state representative (delegate or senator). Leave a message at the Governor’s Office. They need to hear from beer consumers. They need to know that beer consumers want our small local breweries to be authorized to sell and deliver beer to us without shackles.

One of many reforms needed

Beer online sales, delivery and shipping is just one of many reforms needed to our beverage alcohol laws in order for West Virginia to join the 21st century of enlightened regulation. Brilliant Stream is maintaining an overall list of needed measures on this website. Check it out.