Local breweries will soon be able to offer customers a taste.

The Manitoba government released its rules for new tasting room licences Wednesday and local craft breweries may now apply for them.

David Rudge, brewmaster and president of Half Pints Brewing Company, said tasting rooms will help educate consumers about his product, raising awareness of a formerly niche market.

“You’re starting to see everyone understand more about craft beer and how the industry runs,” said Rudge.

Rudge said he hopes the province may relax a few rules down the road, however, since the tasting rooms will be required to offer some type of food service. As in restaurants, they won’t be required to sell food to each drinking guest but must supply the option.

“If a restaurant is not beholden to having to serve food to people (who are drinking) than why am I beholden to have food at all?” asked Rudge. “I’m not a restaurant, I’m a brewery. But the food service they’re asking for is fairly minor.”

Rudge hopes to finalize plans for his own tasting room after the busy summer beer season.

Chris Warwaruk, co-owner of Farmery Brewery, said the legislation should assist his company’s goal to open a brewery and tasting room at his family’s Neepawa-area farm.

The estate brewery currently grows barley in Manitoba, then ships it for processing in Ontario. The bottled product is finally shipped back to be sold primarily in the prairies.

“It’s an encouragement that Manitoba is expanding its scope of support for local craft brewers,” said Warwaruk. “It’s important to have a tasting room because that gives an agri-tourism perspective that’s unique on the craft beer market.”

Farmery’s proposed business model would serve as a variation of a wine tour, showing the process of beer crafting from farm to glass.

“Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta grow the best barley that goes into beers all over the world and there wasn’t one estate brewery,” said Warwaruk.

Ron Lemieux, the minister responsible for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, said the licensing of tasting rooms is meant to improve the viability of the local craft beer industry.

“To be successful, they really need this,” said Lemieux.

The minister said he didn’t think the food requirement will be too “onerous.”

The province is also planning to expand its beer growler program, with recommendations expected this summer. Growlers are refillable 1.89-litre glass jugs available at some Liquor Marts and beer vendors.

BOTTOMS UP

Some of the requirements Manitoba “tasting rooms” will have to operate under:

Beer should be freshly brewed on premises.

Minors can tour the brewery and visit the tasting room if accompanied by a parent or guardian, but cannot be served beer.

Can be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Customers can be served no more than 750 ml of beer at one time. Flights of a variety of beers may total up to 750 ml combined.

Maximum capacity of any tasting room will be 50 people.

Snacks must be available and may include sandwiches, nuts, pretzels, chips, cheese and crackers, and baked goods.

Minimum pricing will be in effect, meaning it will cost at least $2.25 per beer, if not more.

joyanne.pursaga@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @pursagawpgsun