From the Associated Press — A legal trade group has been formed for makers of craft beer and other alcoholic beverages, recognizing the rapid rise of the industry and a desire to deal with a thick brew of regulations across the U.S. The Craft Beverage Lawyers Guild launched this week to represent small, independent breweries as well as wineries and distilleries. The guild’s governing committee consists of about a dozen lawyers specializing in the craft beverage industry, including attorneys working directly for some of the nation’s biggest brewpubs and microbreweries. The idea grew from a conversation between two attorneys: Eugene Pak in Oakland, California, and Joe Infante in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They say the group can help craft beverage suppliers navigate differing and often complicated state and federal laws governing the beverage makers.
