Lee Pulaski, lpulaski@wolfrivermedia.com
GARY TAUCHEN
Wisconsinites love their alcohol, but depending on the business, different rules apply to different spirits.
State Rep. Gary Tauchen seeks to even out the playing field.
Tauchen, R-Bonduel, announced this week that he and other lawmakers would introduce legislation that would lift some of the restrictions on wineries and craft breweries, as well as increase the number of liquor licenses municipalities can approve.
Tauchen said in a phone interview Wednesday that Chapter 125 of state law, which addresses alcohol, had not been reviewed by the Legislature since 2011, and some of the restrictions are out of date.
“What we’re trying to do is modernize the three-tiered system,” Tauchen said. “In its simplest form, with the three-tiered system, you can be a producer, a wholesaler or a retailer. With certain exceptions, they’re separated.”
Wineries are only allowed to be open through 9 p.m., for example, while mainstream bars and pubs get to stay open much later. The bill, if passed, would allow wineries to stay open as late as 2 a.m.
“They certainly don’t want to be open every day until then,” Tauchen said. “There are special events or weddings where people want to spend a little more time at the facility, and this allows that to happen.”
The bill would also increase, from 25,000 to 50,000, the amount of wine a winery could generate and still remain a small winery.
Breweries would be able to increase annual production from 10,000 barrels to 20,000, and increase their maximum production locations from six to 12.
Tauchen noted the number of Class B liquor licenses that municipalities can issue to businesses has stayed the same for 20 years, determined by a formula based on the number of existing licenses and community population. The bill would increase the number of liquor licenses by 10 percent, he said.
Microbreweries are currently not allowed to sell their product on the site where they brew, but the new bill would allow them to do so, according to Tauchen. Also, restaurants would be allowed to operate distill pubs, similar to brew pubs, that sell hard liquor.
“In the Legislature, we try to bring balance to things, and what we’re doing with this piece of legislation is trying to promote flexibility and allow competition through a free-market system,” Tauchen said. “We value all the groups — the tavern owners, the distributors, the wineries, the brew pubs, the distillers and anyone else that is involved of the infrastructure — and our goal is to get a hearing and encourage a conversation.”
Tauchen believes the state has a “tremendous” opportunity to turn the bill into a positive for tourism. He noted that, since Gov. Scott Walker took office in 2011, visitation to the state has increased by 35 percent.
“We believe that it’s the right thing to do for small businesses, and of course, we want them to flourish and do well,” Tauchen said. “The bars and supper clubs are part of our identity and part of our heritage, part of our culture. We should take advantage of that.”
The bill is not expected to move through the Legislature quickly. Tauchen said it could take two or three legislative sessions to get the bill passed because it is so comprehensive.
“Hopefully, this will get the conversation going,” Tauchen said.