LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In the years since Wyndee Forrest founded Crafthaus Brewery in Henderson, it has been difficult for her to move the beer she makes inside the Henderson facility to her second tasting room in The Arts District in Downtown Las Vegas.
That's because Nevada law has required a distributor be involved.
That would change if a bill currently being considered by the Nevada Legislature, SB 108, makes it to Governor Joe Lombardo's desk for a signature.
"Essentially, that means that you don't have to buy your own product back from a distributor at 36% to 38% more than you sold your product to the distributor," Forrest said.
Forrest said the bill's passage could free up cash to expand small businesses like her's or allow owners to hire more people like bartender Jared Moreno down the street at Astronomy Aleworks.
"I've been here for four years and this whole area is really about community," Moreno said.
The bartender said the craft beer scene has really been growing in Southern Nevada and allowing breweries to move their own products between their own locations without a middle man could help the industry explode.
"The way it's done right now, it really hurts the small businesses," he said. "Having to pay just to distribute your beer to your own place, it doesn't make sense."
Multiple Nevada brewers joined in a call for their customers to demand passage of Senate Bill 108 to allow their shops to flourish.
SB 108 will be heard in the legislature for the first time Wednesday.
