Brewers of craft beer in Washington hope a new marketing group will help them mimic the success of the state's wine promoters.
The state-sanctioned commission will represent breweries that produce less than 100,000 barrels annually per location. The first priority is promotion of Washington beer inside the state, where 99 percent of beer consumed reportedly comes from elsewhere.
The commission, approved by the legislature this year, will pay for itself by charging brewers 10 cents per barrel on up to 10,000 barrels per brewer, and will generate revenue from commission-sponsored festivals. Washington has 84 microbreweries, trailing only California and Colorado.