Saturday!

Well greetings fellow beer folk!

Its May 2nd and since it is the first Saturday in May it means WE ARE OPEN!! Yes, tour time at your favorite brewery! Our summer hours are from Noon til 4pm. Last tour at 3:30pm. I would also like to take a moment and welcome our two newest additions to the Sand Creek Brew Crew.. Chris and Brenda! Both of them will be handling the Saturday biz of tending bar and giving great tours!.

Let see what else is new.. Ah yes - there is a movement to increase the taxes we all pay on our beer. Representative RIsser and Berceau are spearheading the movement to increase the excise taxes on beer -

This bill would raise Wisconsin's beer tax (the third lowest in the country) for the first time in 40 years by 2.4¢ per 12 oz. bottle or can. Approximately $40 million in new revenue would be allocated to segregated accounts to fund alcohol abuse prevention and treatment programs and alcohol law enforcement throughout Wisconsin.

The actual information on the "propsed bill" is to go from $2 per barrel to $10 per barrel. Folks that is a 500% increase in tax. For your favorite little brewery that would be an additional $40,000 in taxes we would be required to pay irregardless if we turn a profit or not. It is a HUGE number.

You need to ask yourself - do you want another tax? To the sayers that say "oh thats not too bad" think again - you are being taxed (read punished) for drinking beer. If you want to curb drunk driving (which we ALL do by the way) put some teeth into the drunk driving laws. make the 2nd and on offenses FELONYS! Instead of the slap on the hand.

Excise taxes on beer would have a serious impact on jobs and economic development in Wisconsin, an area where brewing is an important industry. In the state, there are more than 32,000 beer-related jobs in brewing, distributing and supply and this number does not count the many thousands of people employed in our taverns, grocery stores and convenience stores selling beer. Nearly 34,000 more jobs exist in Wisconsin due to the impact of beer and beer sales. The excise tax increase under discussion would also negatively affect the total annual economic impact of the beer industry -- nearly $7.7 billion in Wisconsin. (information taken from Jensen/Madland opinion - captial times 4/17/09)

Help us beat this down- contact your local representatvies and tell them we dont need additional taxes - ESPECIALLY the way the current economy is running. Tell them we dont need to punish responsible drinkers nor an industry which is bucking the downtrend and is actually adding jobs and funds to the economy of Wisconsin.

Whew!