State Fair cancels beer competitions

The OLCC has reinterpreted an old statute limiting unlicensed beer and wine makers to home consumption.

Share this article!

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission recently reinterpreted Oregon Statute ORS 471.403, which forbids the production of alcohol by anyone not licenced by the OLCC.

Homebrewers can only produce beer or wine for home consumption, which means the Oregon State Fair had to cancel its beer and wine competitions.

“This will come at a great cost to the state,” predicted Capitol Brewers President Richard Olson.

The beer competition had been a fixture at the fair for 22 years, the wine contest for 31 years.

“It’s such a tradition,” Olson said. “It’s been going on so many years.”