Photo by beerboybeltsbrew

Those who’ve been on a tour of one of the District’s several breweries know that it usually ends with a free tasting of beer. But while D.C.-based breweries have long been relegated to offering no more than four free samples of beer for taste-testing, the D.C. Council has passed a new law, as part of a provision in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget that passed yesterday through a vote to override Mayor Vince Gray’s veto, that will allow breweries to apply for permits to sell booze for on-premise consumption.

The “pint law,” as it’s called in Maryland and Virginia, allows for D.C. breweries to appy for an “on-site sales and consumption permit with the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration,” which will allow for brewery visitors to buy and drink beer, rather than just consuming the free tastings traditionally provided, ABRA says.

“This allows us to finally be on the same page as Maryland and Virginia breweries,” DC Brau Chief Executive Officer Brandon Skall tells DCist. Although the permit will allow licensed breweries to sell beer for on-premise consumption from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, Skall says it’s not going affect the hours they’re open for tours and growler hours. They’ll just be able to sell pints during normal tour and growler hours.

But Skall says this is definitely a “big change” for local breweries, who couldn’t sell pints of beer to visitors like breweries in Maryland and Virginia. While DC Brau, along with local breweries like Three Stars, Chocolate City, and Atlas Brew Works currently sell growlers, cans, and bottles for home consumption, the permit won’t allow visitors to drink them in the brewery.