Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) hosted a roundtable with local brewers and industry leaders at Postdoc Brewing in Redmond to discuss how current trade and tariff policies are impacting Washington’s craft beer industry.

Tariffs on imported aluminum and steel have driven up costs for small breweries that rely on kegs, cans, and specialized brewing equipment. The uncertainty around future tariffs is also making it harder for brewers to invest in upgrades and expand operations, threatening local jobs and production.

Washington is home to more than 400 breweries, but 2024 marked the first year since 2005 that more breweries closed than opened. Many small, independent brewers operate on thin margins and cannot absorb higher input costs without raising prices, something that’s difficult in an already competitive market. DelBene, who co-leads the Congressional Trade Authority Act, has introduced and supported legislation to limit presidential tariff powers and ensure Congress has a role in trade decisions. These include:

• The Reclaim Trade Powers Act, which repeals outdated trade authorities used to impose tariffs without congressional approval.
• The Repealing Outdated and Unilateral Tariff Authorities Act, which would end the president’s ability to impose retaliatory tariffs under laws from the 1930s.

“Washington’s breweries are innovative, community-focused small businesses that support jobs across our region,” said DelBene. “Rising costs and trade uncertainty are putting them in a difficult spot. I’m working to ensure our policies support growth, sustainability, and long-term success for these local businesses.”

"The vast majority of craft breweries in Washington are small businesses like ours and we are all struggling with the rising costs of goods,” said Robyn Schumacher, Co-owner of Stoup Brewing. “While we source many of our ingredients and goods from regional providers, it's not always possible. The uncertainty around tariffs and the cost of goods hits small businesses like ours particularly hard as we are already working with small margins. It's far more difficult for small local businesses to stay afloat when costs are so wildly unpredictable."

“Chaotic tariff policies create uncertainty and without stable pricing it's hard for us to plan, budget, or stay competitive,” said Tom Schmidlin, Owner and Head Brewer, Postdoc Brewing. “Unlike large corporations, small businesses don’t have the buffer or buying power to absorb sudden cost spikes, and we can’t change prices on a weekly basis to cover increased costs.”