City News Podcast: Craft Beer and Downtown Development with RJ Rockers' John Bauknight

It's been called the "Stone Bill" owing to its association with the well-known San Diego craft beer maker, but for craft breweries throughout South Carolina, a bill on its way to Governor Nikki Haley's desk could transform their industry. Under the new law, breweries that bottle and sell beer offsite will now be allowed to sell unlimited quantities on site so long as it is in conjunction with restaurant service, something many craft beer makers say is crucial to growing their brands. The new law allows the state to attract large craft brewers from elsewhere (like Stone) that typically have restaurants attached to their brewing operations, potentially bringing millions of dollars in economic development along with hundreds of jobs. It also would allow potential entrepreneurs to grow their businesses from small brewpubs to lager operations that can sell their beer offsite through distributors, something previously illegal in South Carolina. But what does it mean for the homegrown craft brewers already up and running here in SC? Today on the podcast, we sit down with John Bauknight, one of the owners of Downtown Spartanburg's RJ Rockers Brewing Company, to find out.