February 18, 2016 04:37 PM UTC

Why Saint Patrick’s Brewing Co. Supports Your Choice Colorado

•  
• by: YourChoiceColorado

(Reader Diary — Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Saint Patrick’s Brewing Company: Full Strength Colorado Beer and Wine Sales in Grocery Stores Will Grow our Business

DENVER – Five years ago, Chris Phelps started home brewing in his garage. In 2012, he and his business partner, David Barron, founded Saint Patrick’s Brewing Company in Littleton, Colorado. Now, Saint Patrick’s is an award-winning small brewery, known for their unique lagers. In a video released Thursday, Phelps discusses how selling full strength Colorado beer and wine in grocery stores will help grow his business by introducing his beer to craft beer lovers across the state and the country.

“We brew more unique lagers than anyone else,” said Phelps. “But currently we’re only allowed to sell in liquor stores. Grocery stores give us the opportunity to grow our brand awareness, find more customers, and more success.”

To watch Chris’ testimonial, please visit Your Choice Colorado here.

In 42 states you can buy and sell Colorado craft beer or wine in grocery stores. But right here, where they’re brewed, Coloradans can’t. Your Choice Colorado is working to reform Colorado’s antiquated laws to allow full strength beer and wine sales in local grocery stores, bringing Coloradans more convenience and savings, and our craft beer and wine industry more sales.

“In comparison to other states, Colorado law is not fair to us,” said Phelps. “In California for example, you can buy micro-brewed beer in all the grocery stores. The people have more access to it, the breweries have more access to the people and it’s good for everybody.”

A recent study by the University of Denver’s Miller Chair of Applied Economics, Jack Strauss, estimates that allowing full strength beer and wine sales in Colorado neighborhood stores could generate an additional $125 million in Colorado craft beer sales. Lifting Colorado’s restrictions on beer and wine sales in grocery stores could substantially boost the state’s craft beer industry.

“It’s time to change the law,” said Phelps. “Give me and the other small brewers more opportunities to grow our businesses.”

Ballot proposals to lift Colorado’s ban on full strength beer and wine sales in grocery stores have been filed for a potential statewide vote in November 2016.