NATCHEZ — As early as today, the Mississippi Senate could vote on a bill that would allow Mississippi microbreweries to sell their beer on premises.

Natchez Brewing Company co-owner Pat Miller said the bill passed the finance committee Tuesday. If passed by the Senate, the bill would still have to go back before the House to hear any potential language changes before the bill would go to the governor for signing, Miller said.

“This is the closest Mississippi has ever come to allowing a brewery to sell beer on site, and to really bring craft beer to the national norm,” Miller said. “This is normal throughout the rest of the country.”

Under the bill, breweries could not produce more than 60,000 barrels of light wine or beer but would be able to sell 10 percent or 1,500 barrels of their product, whichever is less, at the brewery.

The measure also would allow brewpubs, which make beer that can be consumed only on their premises, to sell beer in growlers (a sealed container that holds up to 128 ounces) for consumption elsewhere. Breweries would be barred from selling between midnight and 7 a.m.

Currently, craft breweries are allowed to conduct tours that offer beer tastings but not sell their products on site.

Miller said he believes if the bill passes, it would increase his profits some. Miller said any increase would be reinvested back into the business and in hiring staff.

Natchez Brewing Company is not interested in becoming a bar, Miller said.

“Something we never want to do is run a bar,” Miller said. “We don’t want to do anything that would compete with the establishments that sell our product.

“When people come in for say a tour and want to buy six packs to go, that’s the target audience we want to reach.”

Concerning the language added by the House’s Ways and Means Committee, Miller said he had not been made aware of any changes.

The changed added by the Ways and Means Committee would essentially allow an out-of-state brewery producing more than the 60,000 barrels to come into Mississippi and purchase a smaller brewery and sell on premises, whereas an in-state brewery could not do that.

A similar bill failed in last year’s legislative session.