News Huge Judgment in TX – Jest Wins Case

Selling beer in Texas will soon look a lot different.

A federal judge has struck down certain laws in Texas as unconstitutional in violation of the First Amendment.

Three parts of the TABC code were deemed unconstitutional:

* The law prohibiting references to alcohol strength on beer labels.
* The tied house law prohibiting brewers and wholesalers from advertising which retailers sell their beers.
* The label law requiring beers under 4% abw to be labeled “beer” while above 4% abw to be labeled “ale” or “malt liquor”.

The lawsuit was filed last fall by Austin craft brewer Jester King, along with a small independent distributor and a brewpub.

This ruling could have a dominoes affect in other states and even with certain TTB regulation.

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