Small BREW Act would cut the federal excise tax on New Hampshire’s small brewers in half from $7.00 to $3.50 per barrel on first 60,000 barrels, helping promote growth and job creation

Kuster: Small BREW Act would mean more jobs on tap in the Granite State

WEST LEBANON, N.H. – As part of her commitment to helping create jobs and opportunity for middle class families, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) today continued her “Congress at Your Company” series with a visit to the Seven Barrel Brewery, where she highlighted legislation she is cosponsoring that would cut taxes for small brewers across the Granite State to help promote growth and job creation. The Small BREW Act would cut the federal excise tax in half, from $7.00 to $3.50 per barrel, on the first 60,000 barrels for small breweries that produce less than 6 million barrels per year.

“My top priority in Congress is helping create jobs and opportunity for middle class families,” Kuster said. “That’s what the Small BREW Act is all about. This bill would cut the federal excise tax on our small brewers in half, helping them grow their businesses and ensuring that there are more, middle class jobs on tap in the Granite State.”

The Seven Barrel Brewery, which is approaching its 20^th year in business, produces about 500 barrels per year. At that rate, the Small BREW Act could mean savings of $1,750 each year for the company, which could go toward expanding operations and creating jobs. The brewery and restaurant first opened in 1994 under the direction of renowned brewer Gregory Noonan. A new ownership group purchased the restaurant and brewery in 2010 and have renovated and updated parts of the facility.

"As a small brewery we don't have the ‘discretionary’ cash flow to spend on advertising and other things that the larger breweries seem to have,” said Tony Lubold, head brewer at the Seven Barrel Brewery. “The Small BREW Act would make it easier for us to remain a strong part of the New Hampshire marketplace.”

According to a recent Harvard University study, the Small BREW Act could increase economic activity by $183 million in 2013 and $1.04 billion over five years. The same study found that the bill would help create more than 5,000 new jobs during the first year to eighteen months, with an average of roughly 400 additional jobs added every subsequent year.

A member of the Small Brewers Caucus and the House Small Business Committee, Kuster has prioritized efforts to foster job creation, grow the economy, and expand opportunity for middle class families. The first bill she authored would incentivize public-private partnerships to improve workforce development for New Hampshire students. 

Last month, Kuster introduced legislation to extend and expand a federal pilot program to help boost small businesses exports. She has also supported legislation to make permanent the federal research and development tax credit, helped lead the fight to prevent pending regulations from harming New England farmers, and worked to protect New Hampshire small businesses from burdensome online sales tax collection requirements.

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