Governor John Kasich visited Mt. Carmel Brewing Company May 10 after House Bill 243 went into effect. The law eases permit regulations to allow breweries and distilleries to serve samples of their products. From left are Kathleen and Mike Dewey, owners of the brewery, Governor Kasich and David Goodman, director of the Ohio Department of Commerce.

Governor John Kasich visited Mt. Carmel Brewing Company May 10 after House Bill 243 went into effect. The law eases permit regulations to allow breweries and distilleries to serve samples of their products. From left are Kathleen and Mike Dewey, owners of the brewery, Governor Kasich and David Goodman, director of the Ohio Department of Commerce.
Governor John Kasich and director of Ohio Department of Commerce David Goodman visited Mt. Carmel Brewing Company in Clermont County May 10 to visit a family business that is benefiting from a recent common sense law change Governor Kasich supported.

“We are glad we were able to get this bill through,” Governor Kasich said said about House Bill 243.

The bill, which Governor Kasich signed in December 2011, allows Ohio craft brewers and distillers to provide samples of their products to customers without having to purchase an additional permit.

“For around 70 years, if you were a micro brewer you couldn’t sell samples on your premises,” Goodman said about the permit regulations. “People couldn’t taste, now they can.”

Lyn Tolan, chief of communications for the Ohio Department of Commerce, said the $3,906 manufacturing permit now also allows brewers and distillers to sell samples. Before, they were required to purchase a separate $3,906 permit to let customers taste their products.

“It kind of didn’t make sense,” Tolan said about the previous law.

She said the double permit cost was not only expensive and unrealistic for some small-volume craft brewers, but it also made it difficult for brewers and distillers who do not bottle their product to share it with customers before they buy larger quantities.

“We are glad we can do this,” Tolan said about changing the requirements. “It is an opportunity for business to grow but not necessarily mean more consumption.”

Tolan said the number of breweries, especially craft breweries, is growing in Ohio and has nearly doubled since 2007.

Mt. Carmel Brewing Company is an example of a brewery that was positively affected by the bill.

“Everything you’re seeing today is a new chapter of a new story,” Patrick Clark, an employee at Mt. Carmel Brewing Company said May 10.

Clark said before the bill was passed, employees at Mt. Carmel could talk about their product and give tours of the brewery but could not allow guests to sample the variety of beers they produce.

“The best thing we could do was ask preferences,” Clark said. “Now tasting is included in your brewing license.”

Clark said Mike and Kathleen Dewey, founders and owners of Mt. Carmel Brewing Company, began building a tasting room at the brewery as soon as they heard about the law change.

The bill went into effect March 22, and once the tasting room at Mt. Carmel Brewing Company was complete, the Deweys invited Governor Kasich to their brewery to see the new addition.

“There is no way we could have done it without the employees and fans and without you all here,” Kathleen Dewey told Governor Kasich and his staff.

Dewey talked about how the brewery has grown from a hobby her husband, Mike, pursued into a family business. She said they have experienced smart growth and have expanded the brewery since they began selling beer.

“Now we are on the next phase, which is our tap room,” Dewey said.

Governor Kasich said it was great to have an opportunity to visit the brewery, meet the owners and see the positive changes and opportunities the bill created.

“This is an example of something that is good for small businesses,” Governor Kasich said. “Anything we can do to make them more successful is going to help the community.”