While the wine industry enjoys liberal interstate commerce, beer mostly remains locked into a system that prevents direct-to-customer (DTC) shipping. Currently, only 13 states allow out-of-state breweries to sell and ship beer directly to people’s homes.
In a report released March 9, the vast majority of beer drinkers surveyed said it should be legal to do so, while most brewers also said they would consider DTC shipping if it were allowed.
Harris Poll conducted the survey in January for Sovos ShipCompliant—a firm whose technical support helps alcoholic-beverage companies cope with the complexities of state and federal regulations. The survey included more than 1,800 consumers and almost 150 independent brewers. Among those consumers were 568 who identified as those who drink craft beer at least once per month.