Senate committee advances bill to allow some breweries, distilleries to ship directly to consumers

The Hawaii Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection on Thursday moved HB 108 HD2, a measure that would allow certain licensees to ship beer and distilled spirits directly to consumers and require county liquor commissions to adopt implementing rules.

Supporters — mostly small breweries and distilleries — told the committee the change would help the state’s smallest producers expand sales, ship limited-edition products to visitors and mainland customers, and keep specialty, small-batch items moving when wholesalers will not carry them. “HB 108 will actually benefit our smallest and most fragile producers in the state the most,” a representative from Lanikai Brewing told the committee, saying many in-state producers do not have wholesale agreements. Sam DeWitt, State Government Affairs Director for the Brewers Association, said direct-to-consumer shipping “is an idea whose time has come” and that it would supplement, not replace, the three-tier wholesale…