Texas craft beer brewers could capitalize on the new tax overhaul approved by Congress. The Brewers Association says the deal includes a two-year cut in the excise tax, meaning small breweries could hire more people or buy more equipment.
But not everyone shares their excitement.
“To the average craft brewer it represents a $20-60,000 a year tax break, but that might be one employee or one tank, it's not a new facility,” says Rassul Zarinfar, co-founder of Houston's Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company.
He's instead looking forward to other changes in the tax code.
“There is some paperwork cleanup happening with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and that's much more monumental because I spend $40-50,000 on an accountant,” says Zarinfar.
“I've probably spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on professional help trying to figure out the Byzantine liquor laws, so the tax break is nothing compared to them going from bi-weekly to quarterly reporting schedules.”