A leader in the craft brewing industry is looking to build a new facility in the eastern U.S., and Alabama legislators are working through a pair of bills that could help recruit that business to this state.

San Diego-based Stone Brewing Co. generated $135 million in revenues in 2013, and brewed roughly 213,000 barrels of beer -- several times the amount of Alabama's combined statewide beer production.

The company is looking to expand again in the near future.

Stone is aiming to build a brewing, packaging, and distribution center occupying at least 130,000 square feet, and up to 220,000 square feet.

"Revenue projected from the facility will exceed $100 million in year four," Stone claims in its RFP, "and grow over time into hundreds of millions annually."

In addition to the brewing facility, Stone says it plans to construct an adjoining retail operation called Stone World Bistro & Gardens, which would support tourism commerce and merchandising sales.

But that proposed adjoining facility is where things get complicated for Alabama.

In this state, brewers are not allowed to sell their products directly to consumers, and instead must go through what's known as a "three-tier" system of sales. A vestige of the end of Prohibition, the three-tier system makes it easier for governments to regulate the sale of alcohol.

To address that issue, a pair of bills have been filed in the Alabama Legislature -- HB 581 and SB 439 -- that would exempt brewers that produce at least 25,000 barrels of beer annually from some aspects of the existing law.

State Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Montgomery, is the primary sponsor of SB 439. Brewbaker would not confirm that he was targeting Stone Brewing Co. with his legislation, but did say that the economic development operations of "five or six" Alabama counties had approached him about an opportunity in the brewing industry.

State Rep. April Weaver, R-Alabaster, the primary sponsor of HB 581, could not be reached for comment prior to publication.

Both bills were introduced on March 5, and have yet to be put up for a vote as of publication.

A spokesperson for Stone Brewing acknowledged that the company was seeking to expand into the eastern U.S., but would not confirm whether it had entered into any dialogue with Alabama.

"We have received interest from many East Coast cities and will be reviewing submissions in the near future," Stone's Sabrina LoPiccolo said.

The deadline for submissions to Stone is March 15. The request for proposals was issued in late February.

Craft controversy

The Alabama Brewers Guild, which often represents many of the small craft breweries headquartered across the state on legal issues, says it opposes both SB 439 and HB 581 in their current forms.

"HB581 allows brewers to operate a restaurant and conduct direct retail sales, which is a goal of this organization. Unfortunately, as written those provisions would only apply to breweries who produce in excess of 25,000 barrels. This would effectively cut out all existing Alabama breweries in an effort to entice larger businesses into Alabama," an ABG statement read.

"We do not support a bill that would give a legal advantage to large, established, out-of-state breweries at the expense of local Alabama business," it added.

Dan Roberts, ABG's executive director, said changing the bill to include all breweries in Alabama would instantly change his organization's collective mind. "We support everything about this bill except that it excludes the existing breweries who have been building the craft beer industry in Alabama for years," he said.

The Brewers' Guild counts Avondale Brewing, Back Forty Beer Co., Yellowhammer Brewing, and Fairhope Brewing among its members.