I would be okay with a tax increase with a generous exception for the Oregon craft brewers and a somewhat-generous exception for out-of-state craft brewers.

It is true that our current beer tax is very low and has helped to nurture the craft brewing industry in Oregon. Also, the Oregon beer lobby has been very effective in keeping the tax low and effecting beer-beneficial regulation.

As to hard liquor, we have the second-highest (at least, the last I heard) taxes in the country, only behind Washington (Damn! No border run option!).

Not so coincidentally, on President's Day weekend, Oregon brewers had their "first annual Zwickelmania, a one day event similar to the open houses held by Oregon wineries over Memorial Day and Thanksgiving weekends.
Zwickelmania, hosted by the Oregon Brewers Guild (OBG), is a free statewide event that offers visitors a chance to tour Oregon breweries, meet the brewers and sample their favorite beers - all during Oregon’s Sesquicentennial weekend."

And here's an article on how it went:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/thebeerhere/2009/02/zwickelmanian_was_a_big_succes.html

"Widmer where they had several hundred people throughout the afternoon; Alan Sprints at Hair of the Dog reckoned he had 300 at his brewery; Ben Flerchinger figured he had at least as many at the Lucky Lab Beer Hall on Quimby; and Kevin King at Amnesia said the place was slammed for six hours and that they were giving tours every 20 minutes."