From the Brewhouse to Capitol Hill: Brewers Meet with Congress

Small and independent brewers were the toast of the town in Washington, D.C., on February 25, when close to 100 brewery representatives, guild leaders, and supplier partners came to the city to advocate for small and independent breweries at the Brewers Association's (BA) annual Hill Climb.

Participants covered a wide array of interests impacting our industry and many of our supply chain partners. The lead topic of the day was the Brews to Barns Act, a federal initiative that, if enacted, would reduce small brewer excise taxes by approximately $38 million per year. Other topics included common-sense regulatory and tax modernization, the Credit Card Competition Act to reduce credit card fees, the CHEERS Act to revitalize draft infrastructure at on-premise establishments, impacts from tariffs, as well as appropriations requests for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and hops and barley research.

The day before, many attendees participated in the inaugural Leadership Summit which brought together industry leaders to connect, share insights, and explore what's next for beverage alcohol. This intimate, interactive event blended structured programming with meaningful peer-to-peer conversations. Attendees were also provided with an in depth federal, state, and regulatory update from BA vice president of government affairs Marc Sorini and federal affairs manager Michael Mohr-Ramirez.

At the 211 meetings with lawmakers, members of Congress and their staff learned firsthand about the issues impacting breweries in their state and congressional districts and connected with industry leaders. Outgoing BA chair Leah Cheston and Marc Sorini also met with the leadership of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to discuss small brewer issues and priorities. Later that evening, senators, representatives, and their staff shared beers from across the U.S. with Hill Climb attendees at a private reception on Capitol Hill.

The following day, state guild leadership met at an off-site location to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Through educational sessions and peer discussions, attendees gained insights to strengthen their guilds and the breweries they represent. Panel topics included rethinking the traditional festival model, alternative income opportunities, social media strategies, and managing membership retention.

Events like the BA Hill Climb are fantastic opportunities for guilds and brewery owners to build and maintain relationships with their elected officials. As American manufacturing businesses, breweries have a broad impact on issues ranging from production to hospitality. The Hill Climb gives a voice to all small and independent breweries.

Save the date for next year's Hill Climb: February 24, 2027.