There once was a beer drinker who wandered away from home following the smell of malted barley and aroma hops— that blend of baked bread, mother’s love, and a touch of citrus—all the way down the street to her local brewery. This (grownup) Goldilocks enjoyed a pint of ale, hand-crafted by a local artisan, and wanted to take some of this masterful brew home to her friends, to share the liquid jewel that she had discovered.
She asked the bearded man behind the bar for a mythical flask known as a “growler.”
The bartender asked, “what size would you like?”
Goldy replied “one that’ll fit on my bike.”
The man offered a jug- a gallon on ends,
But Goldy just shrugged “too much beer for my friends.”
The kindly gent said “I have a 32oz thermos.”
The lady said back “too small for my purpose.”
Then she inquired “half gallon; is’t too late?”
The patient soul said “that one’s up for debate!
So get all your friends, your people, your peers,
And call your reps and fill up their ears—
Tell them a half gallon is the perfect sized growler
And that the current law couldn’t be fowler.
Try as you might, as hard as you can,
And the right size of beer jug could end up in your hand.”
Please heed those wise barkeep's words: call, email, fax, and write your state representatives and ask them to support House Bill 715 and/or Senate Bill 1344. These are currently working through Tallahassee, and could have a tremendous impact on Florida's breweries by allowing them to compete at the same level as every other brewery in the United States. 64oz growlers are normal in almost every other state except Florida. Don't know who the local representatives are? Check the House here and the Senate here. Compose a simple letter stating your concern and asking for their support of local breweries, or if that does not work, then simply copy and paste the text below with a few adjustments:
Dear Legislator,
I am writing today to express my support for small business and local breweries in the state of Florida. In today's current economic climate, small and independent breweries are adding jobs and increasing tourism throughout the Sunshine State. I would like to enable our breweries to compete with breweries throughout the country and to help these local breweries succeed. That is why I support Florida House Bill 715 and Florida Senate Bill 1344. I will be monitoring these bills closely and I hope that you will stand with small business and do everything in your power to help them prosper and increase the reputation of Florida breweries on a national level.
Thank you for your time and help with this matter. I look forward to seeing the fruitful results of these bills.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
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