RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia’s beer industry had reason to raise a pint to last week’s signing of the state budget.

The General Assembly’s now-finalized annual budget included funding for the creation of the Virginia Beer Distribution Co., a new division of the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that will allow breweries to self-distribute limited amounts of beer to retailers and restaurants while bypassing traditional third-party distributors.

The VBDC’s existence was made official last week when Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the state budget after months of delays.