USA: Microbrewers in Washington have created new state-sanctioned beer commission

Craft brewers in Washington state have created a new state-sanctioned commission to help sell their ales, the Associated Press released November 15.

The group will represent licensed breweries that produce less than 100,000 barrels a year. California and Colorado are the only states that have more microbreweries than Washington, which has 84.

Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colorado, says Washington's commission may be the first state-sanctioned promotional group for craft brewers.

To pay for its promotional activities, the Washington commission will collect a 10-cents-per-barrel assessment from brewers, up to a maximum of 10,000 barrels per brewer.

One of the newly appointed commissioners, George Hancock of Pyramid Breweries, says the first order of business will be to promote Washington beers to Washington consumers.

Hancock estimates that despite tremendous growth in specialty breweries, as much as 99 percent of the beer consumed in Washington is still brewed outside the state.