On July 15, Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the bill which raises the RI brewery sales limit to 384 ounces [up from 288 oz.; 37 states have no ceiling on beer sales; the Ocean State was at the bottom of the restriction list, sharing the 288-oz. sales-shackles with Alabama and South Carolina] -– a case of 24 tallboys. So bring some extra $$ to your fave indie breweries and clear a bit more space in your beer fridge . . .

Here’s the release that was posted when S 0620 passed the General Assembly a coupla weeks ago:

Sen. Felag’s bill that raises amount of beer directly sold by breweries to customers passes General Assembly

Sen. Walter S. Felag’s (D-Dist. 10, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton) legislation (2019-S 0620) that would increase the amount of beer sold directly to customers by breweries was passed by the General Assembly tonight [June 28].

“Rhode Island’s craft brewery industry has been a true bright spot in Rhode Island’s resurgence from the Great Recession and this legislation will ensure that this promising and successful industry continues to grow within Rhode Island’s borders. This bill will allow our breweries to better compete with those in our surrounding states and continue the growth we have witnessed in a very short amount of time,” said Senator Felag.

The legislation raises craft beer limits for sale so Rhode Island’s brewing industry continues to grow. It allows breweries to sell a full case of 24 beers. If they produce 12-ounce cans or bottles, the brewery’s limit on the amount of beer sold remains the same. If the brewery produces 16-ounce cans or bottles, as many of the craft breweries do, the limit increases to a full case of 24 16-ounce bottles or cans.

The proposal seeks to allow additional growth in an industry that has recently gone from 14 to 30 craft breweries due to an earlier law addressing the same issue.