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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
On Friday, we toured Schell’s Brewery in beautiful New Ulm to highlight the importance of changing our liquor laws. Schell’s is one of five breweries with a taproom that cannot sell growlers in Minnesota – and the only 5 taprooms of the 8,000 across the country that cannot sell growlers to their customers.
Our liquor laws, largely unchanged since 1940, need to be modernized. The cap on growlers does not serve customers and stifles the creativity of brewers. We need to #FreeTheGrowler, stop artificially harming successful breweries by putting them at a disadvantage with out of state brewers, and give consumers the option to take home their favorite beer from a tour or taproom.
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Earlier this winter, we saw the effects of this archaic law first hand as Lift Bridge Brewing in Stillwater was forced to dump beer down the drain. The inability to sell their product in growlers to their customers forced this ridiculously decision on them. This is unacceptable. Five breweries with taprooms in our state — the only five of 8,000 taprooms across the country — are unable to sell their products to customers in their taproom.
We need to fix this and I will continue to fight but I need your help. Share our videos, use the hashtag #FreeTheGrowler in support, and, most importantly, contact your legislators and urge them to join the fight to #FreeTheGrowler.
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Online Inquiry Process Available for COVID-19 Business Relief Payments
Last week, the Minnesota Department of Revenue sent out the initial round of COVID-19 Business Relief Payments to nearly 4,000 eligible businesses across the state. This program, part of a bi-partisan COVID-19 relief legislation passed in December, offers direct relief payments to eligible restaurants, bars, gyms, and bowling centers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Businesses that did not receive a COVID-19 Business Relief Payment but think they meet the program criteria can contact the department using their online inquiry process that is now available through Friday, February 5, 2021. Businesses can use this if their business either:
- Did not receive a COVID-19 Business Relief Payment but they think the business met the program requirements.
- Received a COVID-19 Business Relief Payment but they think the amount was wrong.
Businesses can find this online inquiry process by visiting revenue.state.mn.us and clicking “COVID-19 Business Relief Payments” found on the homepage.
Eligible businesses must meet the program requirements outlined in the legislation. Direct payment requirements for businesses include:
- Being located in Minnesota
- Had at least $10,000 in taxable sales in 2019
- Filed Sales Tax returns in 2019 and 2020
- Experienced a 30% drop in year-over-year taxable sales for April-September periods
- Being categorized by the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance program as a restaurant, bar, gym, bowling center, or similar business
Direct funding to all of Minnesota’s 87 counties was also provided to set up local COVID-19 grant relief programs. Businesses not eligible for a direct payment from Revenue are encouraged to contact their local county for additional COVID-19 relief.
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