Tastings are for education, not intoxication
Senate Bill 1548 was carried by former state Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Culver City.
Fred Jones, legal counsel to the Sacramento-based California Council on Alcohol Problems, a coalition of religious groups, thinks the law was a mistake.
“It was jokingly referred to as the ‘Free Happy Hour’ bill (in the Capitol), so I think that gives you an image of what could happen,” Jones said. “What is the reason behind giving someone 8 ounces of beer free? One could argue that with wineries, each winery is different and every bottle is different depending on age or season. But we’re talking about beer here.”
Baldonado said the purpose of the samples is education, not intoxication.
“It would never be an instance where we would be buying the house a round,” said Baldonado.“We would talk to consumers one at a time about whatever product it may be, whether it’s Budweiser or something else.”
The tastings are part of an effort by beer makers to regain ground lost in recent years to spirits and wine.
California microbreweries opposed to the bill at first, citing concerns that big companies would have an advantage in marketing at restaurants and bars. They withdrew their opposition after limits were put on the tastings, said Tom McCormick, executive director of the California Small Brewers Association.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 3, 2007. Read the original PDF.