Introduction A recent federal court decision has shaken up a Prohibition-era rule. But before any hobbyist distillers in Florida get too excited, it’s crucial to know that nothing has changed about Florida’s own ban on home distilling. On April 10, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (a high-level federal court covering Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi)...
Continue ReadingThe Data: The Florida Breweries Report reflects data published by the Florida ABT, which is available online here, as of the date of publication. The ABT monthly publishes the taxpaid sales for each brewery and distributor. Unfortunately, the ABT does not publish breweries’ sales to distributors. This means that the Florida Breweries Report reflects only breweries’ taxpaid sales, which are generally made...
Continue ReadingIf you mean a business that provides bartenders, bar setup, and event support while the host supplies (and owns) the alcohol, the answer is often yes—if you structure it as a services business and avoid any fact pattern that looks like an alcohol sale. If you mean a business that sells alcohol from a trailer/truck or runs a cash...
Continue ReadingOne beverage bill received a full vote by the Florida Legislature during its 2026 session. The Florida Legislature’s 2026 regular session officially ended (called “sine die”) on March 13, 2026. Although 14 bills aimed at the Florida beverage industry were introduced, only 1 consensus bill was passed by both the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate and now...
Continue ReadingThe Data: The Florida Breweries Report reflects data published by the Florida ABT, which is available online here, as of the date of publication. The ABT monthly publishes the taxpaid sales for each brewery and distributor. Unfortunately, the ABT does not publish breweries’ sales to distributors. This means that the Florida Breweries Report reflects only breweries’ taxpaid sales, which are generally made...
Continue ReadingFlorida’s alcoholic beverage laws make it hard for private equity (PE) investors to “own a little bit of everything” across suppliers, distributors, and retailers. Florida is a three-tier state, and the point of the system is separation: manufacturers sell to distributors, distributors sell to vendors, and vendors buy only from distributors. The Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco...
Continue ReadingThe Data: The Florida Breweries Report reflects data published by the Florida ABT, which is available online here, as of the date of publication. The ABT monthly publishes the taxpaid sales for each brewery and distributor. Unfortunately, the ABT does not publish breweries’ sales to distributors. This means that the Florida Breweries Report reflects only breweries’ taxpaid sales, which are generally made...
Continue ReadingThe 2026 Session of the Florida Legislature includes consideration of a few bills with affecting breweries, wineries, distilleries, retailers and consumers. The 2026 regular session of the Florida Legislature kicked off Tuesday, January 13, 2026. This 2-month session will see the consideration of a number of bills that could affect the Florida beverage industry as soon as July. For...
Continue ReadingRetailer Websites Must be ADA Compliant Florida retailers need to worry about ADA-compliant websites because the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) treats businesses like bars, restaurants, and stores as “public accommodations.” That means their websites and mobile apps must provide equal access to goods and services for people with disabilities. If a site isn’t accessible—such as missing screen reader...
Continue ReadingThe Data: The Florida Breweries Report reflects data published by the Florida ABT, which is available online here, as of the date of publication. The ABT monthly publishes the taxpaid sales for each brewery and distributor. Unfortunately, the ABT does not publish breweries’ sales to distributors. This means that the Florida Breweries Report reflects only breweries’ taxpaid sales, which are generally made...
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