Editorial: Craft-beer tax break falls flat

New York's craft brewers are crying in their beer over the end of a tax break, but it's time they dried their eyes. The break exempted the first 200,000 gallons produced by each New York-based brewer from the state's 14-cent-per-gallon alcohol tax. But a special in-state break is unconstitutional, as the state acknowledged in April under legal pressure. So now the tax is levied on every barrel sold here, no matter where it's produced. Losing the break costs New York brewers about a penny a bottle.

Politicians to the rescue. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) supports a federal tax break. State Sen. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) proposes a state tax credit. Both ideas are silly. We like craft beer as much as anybody, but with money tight there's no need to grant this heady business a round on the house.