Selling Cocktails in the Tasting Room

[paula@morpheusstudio.com]

When selling cocktails in the tasting room, are you able to use other liqueurs as mixers? Most of our cocktails highlight our liquors distilled in house with non-alcoholic mixers, but we also want to include some classics as well. For example, if I wanted to sell a Negroni, obviously we would use our gin, but as far as the sweet vermouth and campari we would have to get an outside supply for that. Would that require another liquor license?

[Lenny]

It varies from state to state, but I'm not aware of any state that allows for tasting room cocktail sales also allowing for the usage of spirits not manufactured in-house. The only way I've ever scene anyone get around that issue is to open both a distillery and a bar/tavern. Two separate business, in separate spaces (although can be in the same building) with two separate licenses. The Shanty & New York Distilling come to mind as one example.