Open the Taps Forms to Advocate for Beer in Texas

If it seems like there's been quite a bit of news in Houston about brewpubs and breweries popping up, it's not just you. There are so many new players in the craft beer industry here in town that five local brew lovers started an organization to affect the restrictive (and seemingly arbitrary) beer laws in the state. How are they planning on tackling such a daunting task? With a grassroots 501(c)(6) organization called Open the Taps.

In a blog post on founder Ted Duchesne's website, Barley Vine, he writes, "Open The Taps was born -- not only because restrictions of the current system are stifling our craft beer community, but from the realization that the Texas craft beer industry could be so much more vibrant."

Additional founders include Leslie Sprague of Lushtastic, Chris White (aka @beer_chris), Cathy Clark Rascoe of Brewtiful and John Speights, home brewer. The organization hopes to raise funds to begin a lobbying group and design and produce marketing collateral for a Texas-wide campaign. You can meet the founders and hang with fellow craft beer aficionados at Moon Tower Inn this Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Open the Taps launch party this weekend.

· Open the Taps: Houston Lobbies for Statewide Access to Better Beer [EOW]
· The Birth of a Movement [BV]
· All Craft Booze Coverage on Eater Houston [EHTX]
Photo: [Open the Taps/Facebook]