The Drink Local Wisconsin Mission

What is Drink local Wisconsin?

Drink local Wisconsin is the unity of Wisconsin’s Independent Craft Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries, and craft focused Retailers. For too long these small businesses have been left out of the discussion when it comes to the laws that they must abide by. The result has been a systematic stripping of rights that have caused significant hardship for those small businesses. Drink Local Wisconsin seeks to educate, inform, and advance the craft beverage industry in Wisconsin.

Why is this important?

Many people think the laws holding back Wisconsin’s craft producers are the result of Prohibition era laws from the 1930s. This couldn’t be further from the truth! The fact is Wisconsin operated under a system of uniform licensing and orderly distribution that worked for decades until special interests started erecting barriers, placing restrictions on, and limiting what businesses were allowed to do in the 1990s and 2000s. These protectionist policies have had the opposite intended effect allowing for monopolies to be created within the distribution system that is hurting Wisconsin’s small manufacturers AND retailers. What does that mean for the consumer? Ultimately these policies limit the choice that consumers have at their favorite spots to purchase or enjoy alcoholic beverages. And we can all agree that more choice is a good thing.

What does it mean for you and Wisconsin?

Free markets allow businesses to compete on merit. Special interests and government shouldn’t get to choose which businesses win and which businesses lose. These small businesses rejuvenate neighborhoods, create vibrant communities, employ Wisconsinites, and generate significant tax revenue. Drink Local Wisconsin believes there are common sense reforms and policies that will allow all of Wisconsin’s alcohol businesses to grow and flourish by moving Wisconsin FORWARD instead of backwards.