On-Site Tastings

[GaDistCo]

Greetings fellow distillers,

We are looking to change Georgia's laws to allow on-site tastings of product. Similar laws have been passed here for micro-breweries and wineries, however we are a new oddity here in Georgia and the South. Anyone out there who has sample legislation or wording which may make it as easy as possible for our legislators, please share it. Thanks to the economy our state is receptive to ideas on how to increase revenues, and this type legislation would be great for our business, as well as other and future distilleries which may want to operate here in Georgia. Right now all we are pushing for is tastings. Georgia is a three-tier state and not yet ripe for on-site sales. If we can get the tastings, then maybe we can eventually get on-site sales as well. One step at a time.

Bill Mauldin

Georgia Distilling Company

404-281-5484

bill.mauldin@georgiadistilling.com

www.gadistilling.com

[MarkR]

Greetings fellow distillers,

We are looking to change Georgia's laws to allow on-site tastings of product. Similar laws have been passed here for micro-breweries and wineries, however we are a new oddity here in Georgia and the South. Anyone out there who has sample legislation or wording which may make it as easy as possible for our legislators, please share it. Thanks to the economy our state is receptive to ideas on how to increase revenues, and this type legislation would be great for our business, as well as other and future distilleries which may want to operate here in Georgia. Right now all we are pushing for is tastings. Georgia is a three-tier state and not yet ripe for on-site sales. If we can get the tastings, then maybe we can eventually get on-site sales as well. One step at a time.

Bill Mauldin

Georgia Distilling Company

404-281-5484

bill.mauldin@georgiadistilling.com

www.gadistilling.com

Bill,

When the good folks at Dry Fly in Spokane WA worked with the legislature to write the Craft Distillery laws out here, one of the items that made it work was the inclusion of a rule that anyone who opened a Craft Distillery and lived within the (present) 6,000 proof gallon yearly limit could have a tasting room, but had to use at least 50% of the raw materials from within Washington state. That made the whole enterprise an agricultural process. The 50% rule has lead to some interesting discussions about making a rum type of product from sugar beets, but I think in large has helped the growth of the small distilleries here. I have e-mail a copy of the WA law to your address, maybe it will work for you good folks in Georgia.

Mark Robinson

Tahoma Spirits

j.mrobinson@frontier.com

[grehorst]

The State of WI changes are fairly simple yet comprehensive. The Section 125.52 (below) was a basic change- it maintained a prohibition on a manufacturer holding any retail liquor license (a point of contention with wholesalers and the Tavern League) but carved an exception within our own physical space (part 2)- now as a distiller (with no limiting language on what we can produce or where we have to source ingredients) we can sample the products we make within our own onsite facility. It allows us to pour free samples, sell cocktails and bottles.

While I appreciate the idea of encouraging people to use local ingredients, I've never understood the desire to limit producers to only allowing local ingredients through legislation. I guess if it makes the law changes more palatable to politicians it may be what you have to do to get it done, but to do it for any other reason I can think of smacks of protectionism. If someone opens a rectification plant down the street from me and they are buying product in another state who am I to say they shouldn't be able to sample and sell their product? What other industry limits a producer this way???

125.52 Manufacturers' and rectifiers' permits. (1)

AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES. (a) The department shall issue manufacturers'

and rectifiers' permits which authorize the manufacture or

rectification, respectively, of intoxicating liquor on the premises

covered by the permit. A person holding a manufacturer's or rectifier's

permit may manufacture and bottle wine, pursuant to the

terms of the permit, without procuring a winery permit.

( 1. A manufacturer's or rectifier's permit entitles the permittee

to sell intoxicating liquor to wholesalers holding a permit

under s. 125.54, to wineries holding a permit under s. 125.53, and

to other manufacturers and rectifiers holding a permit under this

section, from the premises described in the permit. Except as provided

in subd. 2., no sales may be made for consumption on the

premises of the permittee.

2. Notwithstanding s. 125.09 (1), a manufacturer's or rectifier's

permit authorizes the retail sale of intoxicating liquor that is

manufactured or rectified on the premises, for consumption on or

off the premises. A manufacturer's or rectifier's permit also

authorizes the provision of taste samples, free of charge and in an

amount not exceeding a total of 1.5 fluid ounces to any one person,

of intoxicating liquor that is manufactured or rectified on the

premises, for consumption on the premises. The department may

prescribe additional regulations for the sale of intoxicating liquor

under this subdivision, if the additional regulations do not conflict

with the requirements applicable to holders of "Class B" licenses.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the authorization

under this subdivision applies with respect to a person who

holds any permit under this section, a winery permit under s.

125.53, and either a "Class A" license or a "Class B" license

issued under s. 125.51 (3) (am), all issued for the same premises

or portions of the same premises.

© Possession of a permit under this section does not authorize

the permittee to sell tax−free intoxicating liquor and wines

brought into this state under s. 139.03 (5).

[Charles@AEppelTreow]

The in-state raw material limitation is fairly common in winery legislation. Not exactly a separate industry I suppose.

I believe a couple of states have special winery permit types that have this limitation - but grant extra privileges, too.

WI is not so regulated, thankfully.

If one is shopping around model bills, I'd show your legislator friends the most open, flexible options out there. Not necessarily ones from the biggest states.

[Padberg4252]

grehorst,

I have been to your distillery in Milwaukee and love your product. From what I have read about you, you have been a great force in the state of Wisconsin in regards to making it a more friendly state for the craft distiller. Based on your post and the statue, I understand that the manufactures permit as issued by the state allows you to sell cocktails, bottles, and provide free samples on site without a local liquor license. I just want to make sure as this would be a deal-breaker for the location I am considering.