Reduced Excise Tax Rate for Small Brewers

§ 5051. Imposition and rate of tax(a) Rate of tax(1) In general(A) Imposition of taxA tax is hereby imposed on all beer brewed or produced, and removed for consumption or sale, within the United States, or imported into the United States. Except as provided in paragraph (2), the rate of such tax shall be—(i) $16 on the first 6,000,000 barrels of beer—(I) brewed by the brewer and removed during the calendar year for consumption or sale, or (II) imported by the importer into the United States during the calendar year but only if the importer is an electing importer under paragraph (4) and the barrels have been assigned to the importer pursuant to such paragraph, and (ii) $18 on any barrels of beer to which clause (i) does not apply. (B) BarrelFor purposes of this section, a barrel shall contain not more than 31 gallons of beer, and any tax imposed under this section shall be applied at a like rate for any other quantity or for fractional parts of a barrel. (2) Reduced rate for certain domestic production(A) $3.50 a barrel rateIn the case of a brewer who produces not more than 2,000,000 barrels of beer during the calendar year, the per barrel rate of the tax imposed by this section shall be $3.50 on the first 60,000 barrels of beer which are removed in such year for consumption or sale and which have been brewed or produced by such brewer at qualified breweries in the United States. (B) RegulationsThe Secretary may prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to prevent the reduced rates provided in this paragraph from benefiting any person who produces more than 2,000,000 barrels of beer during a calendar year. (3) TolerancesWhere the Secretary or his delegate finds that the revenue will not be endangered thereby, he may by regulations prescribe tolerances for barrels and fractional parts of barrels, and, if such tolerances are prescribed, no assessment shall be made and no tax shall be collected for any excess in any case where the contents of a barrel or a fractional part of a barrel are within the limit of the applicable tolerance prescribed. (4) Reduced tax rate for foreign manufacturers and importers(A) In generalIn the case of any barrels of beer which have been brewed or produced outside of the United States and imported into the United States, the rate of tax applicable under clause (i) of paragraph (1)(A) (referred to in this paragraph as the “reduced tax rate”) may be assigned by the brewer (provided that the brewer makes an election described in subparagraph (B)(ii)) to any electing importer of such barrels pursuant to the requirements established by the Secretary under subparagraph (B).