ACR 32, Bloom. California Craft Beverage Month.
This measure would proclaim the month of April 2015 as California Craft Beverage Month.
WHEREAS, A craft involves skill to make things by hand; and
WHEREAS, A beverage is a drink, especially one other than water; and
WHEREAS, California is the birthplace of the craft brewing movement, which started when Fritz Maytag acquired the Anchor Brewing Company in 1965 and began brewing authentic handcrafted beers; and
WHEREAS, California is the home of the first microbrewery, beginning with Jack McAuliffe who built a small brewery in Sonoma from scratch, and began selling New Albion ales in 1977; and
WHEREAS, In 1982, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 3610 to amend the state’s tied-house laws to remove the restriction on on-premises sales of craft beer. Following this change in law, California became the home to three of the first five brewpubs in the United States; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, the California craft brewery industry had an annual impact of $5.5 billion on the state’s economy; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, the California craft brewery industry supported more than 50,000 jobs, which in turn created billions of dollars in positive economic impact; and
WHEREAS, California has more than 520 small, independently owned craft breweries; and
WHEREAS, An average of one in every five craft beers produced in the United States is from California; and
WHEREAS, Small, family-owned wine producers represent the largest number of licensed wineries in the state and nation; and
WHEREAS, Family Winemakers of California was founded in 1990 to provide a small producer perspective on public policy matters; and
WHEREAS, Family Winemakers of California advocates the rights and interests of its members to freely produce, market, and sell their products, and is dedicated to preserving the diversity of California wine; and
WHEREAS, Family Winemakers of California was instrumental in opening the United States wine market to California wine by direct-to-consumer sales through a sustained litigation campaign that led to the United States Supreme Court’s Granholm v. Heald (544 U.S. 460) decision; and
WHEREAS, The Family Winemakers of California are affiliated with WineAmerica to establish a channel for input on national issues and generate unity among small producers and growers across the United States; and
WHEREAS, The Family Winemakers of California now have 425 small, independently owned wineries, which add to the prestige of California wine and are a significant part of the more than $60 billion state wine industry; and
WHEREAS, California is the birthplace of the artisan distilling movement, beginning with Jörg Rupf, who founded St. George Spirits in 1982 and trained scores of craft distillers; and
WHEREAS, The California Artisanal Distillers Guild empowers California’s craft distillers through protection, education, and communication; and
WHEREAS, The guild’s member companies have a strong commitment to promoting the responsible consumption of alcohol as well as fighting underage drinking and drunk driving. This is accomplished through responsible advertising, strict codes of conduct, and other initiatives that educate the public on common-sense guidelines for drinking and set an example of moderation to our youth; and
WHEREAS, The mission and goals of the guild are to protect and promote the art and craft of small-batch and artisanal distilled spirits making, enhance consumer awareness of California craft-made spirits, and work to grow and ensure the long term health of our industry; and
WHEREAS, The California Artisanal Distillers Guild supports California alcohol wholesalers and distributors who promote California craft-made spirits and the importance of California’s role in the beverage industry, support the California Visitation and Tourism Industries, support California Small Business, support “Buy Local” Groups and Programs in California, support the California Farming Industry, support California suppliers of raw materials and packaging products, and support California restaurants, bars, and retail outlets who carry and promote California craft-made spirits; and
WHEREAS, Beer, wine, and distilled spirits tourism is increasingly popular and contributes to the economic impact of the state’s tourism industry; and
WHEREAS, The California craft beverage industry is a leader in the stewardship of natural resources and the environment and has made a major commitment to implement sustainable practices that are environmentally sound, including some of the largest solar arrays in the private sector, and the use of fuel cells and other innovative conservation techniques and processes; and
WHEREAS, Despite the challenges of intense global competition, the state’s craft beverage industry is strong and growing, and is a major contributor to the economic vitality of California; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the month of April 2015 as California Craft Beverage Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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