SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — Microbreweries could have it a bit easier, as long as they stay small.

That’s the idea of a new bill gaining ground in Illinois.

State Reps. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) and Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) are co-sponsoring a bill to allow microbreweries to distribute their beer directly.

“These folks have a real following,” said State Reps. Harris. “They’re never going to probably challenge Anheuser-Busch or Miller, but they fill an important niche in the community.”

Harris and Bost both have such a brewer in his district: Half Acre and Muddy River.

As the big brewers are concerned about the small fry getting an advantage, the bill would limit the amount of beer such a microbrewery could make and distribute in a year.

The limit is 60,000 barrels for a microbrewery. A brew pub could sell its own beer elsewhere to a limit of 50,000 barrels. A barrel equals 31 gallons.

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