This just in from the  California Small Brewers Association. . They’re holding a press conference Tuesday (Sept. 9, 2008) at Rubicon Brewing Co., 2004 Capitol Ave. in Sacramento to protest AB 1245 and urge Gov. Schwarzenegger to veto the bill.  Their statement’s self-explainatory. It would let brewers spend a lot more money on gifts and doodads to retailers flogging their beer. Of course who has money to do that? A-B, not your local brewer.
What we can do is send an email to Arnold urging him to abandon his Republican roots for an instance and shoot the damn thing down — guvanator style.

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WHY:              A little known “swag” bill has been ushered to the Governor’s desk over the objection of local and small brewers in California.

The bill, AB 1245, would significantly increase the amount of marketing dollars Anheuser-Busch wants to spend courting new drinkers.  Promoting an increase of 1200% in direct marketing swag the largest beer manufacturer in the U.S. wants to further exploit its marketing clout to the detriment of smaller brewers.

“The real loser in the AB marketing game will be the consumer who will likely see reduced choices at their local market,” said Tom McCormick, executive director of the California Small Brewers Association.

WHO:             Glynn Phillips, owner, Rubicon Brewing Company, Sacramento
Susan Little, owner, St. Stan Brewery, Modesto
Tom McCormick, executive director, California Small Brewers Association

To email Arnold,  go here: http://govnews.ca.gov/govmail/webmail.php .

To call his office, dial 916-445-2841