Under current law, Toppling Goliath would have to close its College Drive tap room when its new brewery sampling room opens

Toppling Goliath has gotten the city government approvals it needs to begin building its $5 million, 52,000 square foot brewery in Decorah's Business Park.  But there's still one governmental approval that is eluding the brewery.

Toppling Goliath founder Clark Lewey confirms that under existing Iowa law, he would have to shut down the Toppling Goliath tap room at 301 College Drive after the new brewery opens because he could not hold a beer license for the brewery's sampling room and a beer license for the College Drive tap room at the same time.

Lewey blames the situation on what he calls "a job killing law."  A spokesperson for the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division tells decorahnews.com that the current law tries to strike a balance between beer manufacturers, wholesalers and beer retailers.  But Lewey calls the current regulations "an anachronism."  He says the law will hurt tourism in Decorah and will mean Toppling Goliath loses the foot traffic it has had at the College Drive location.

The Iowa Alcohol Beverages Division spokesperson confirms that Toppling Goliath could have only one liquor license after the brewery is built--a Class "B" permit that's added onto their manufacturing license ("A" or "AA").   Brewers are allowed just one tasting room--regardless of how many brewing locations they operate. The tasting room must be part of a manufacturing facility.

Lewey says a different state official suggested to him that he just create a separate corporation to get around the law.  But Lewey says that wouldn't be right and it would also mean the tap room employees that have been with Toppling Goliath since it started in 2009 would lose their benefits when they switched to a different company.

Instead, Lewey promises he will fight for a change in the law.  He says Iowa has at least 40 other microbreweries similar to Toppling Goliath, which has turned Iowa into a "beer tourism" state.