Santa Fe Brewing Company President and Owner Brian Lock recently hosted Senator Martin Heinrich on a tour of the brewing facility. Representatives from the New Mexico Brewers Guild were also in attendance.

During the tour the group discussed Santa Fe Brewing’s expansion plans that will increase production and allow the for the creation of new manufacturing jobs. Funding is a crucial piece of brewery expansion puzzle. Senator Heinrich, as a co-sponsor of the Small BREW Act, supports a federal excise tax reduction for small brewers. If enacted, this legislation would reduce the small brewer federal excise tax rate on the first 60,000 barrels by 50 percent (from $7.00 to $3.50/barrel) and institute a new rate of $16.00 per barrel on beer production above 60,000 barrels up to 2 million barrels. Breweries with an annual production of 6 million barrels or less would qualify for these tax rates. The tax savings could provide small breweries with additional capital needed to expand their businesses.

The tour finished with a sampling of Santa Fe Brewing Company’s brews where Senator Heinrich enjoyed a pint of the State Pen Porter.

For more information on how to connect with members of Congress, visit the Government Affairs section of BrewersAssociation.org.