Shortly after before the Florida Independent Spirits Association (FISA) and the Florida Retail Federation (FRF) filed lawsuits accusing the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (ABT) of improperly licensing Florida brewery taprooms (discussed in Q&A for Breweries: The FISA Lawsuit), the ABT quietly changed its procedure for how brewery applications are to be handled.
Continue ReadingWhat does the lawsuit by Florida Independent Spirits Association (FISA) mean for Florida’s existing breweries and breweries-in-process? Our take on January 14, 2015 is contained in this Q&A.
Continue ReadingTaxpaid sales by Florida wineries lost ground in October 2014. Monthly Hightlights One new winery is included in this edition of The Florida Wineries Report: The Hidden Vine in West Palm Beach. In October 2014, the total number of reporting wineries stands at 69. Of that number, 38 reported taxpaid sales for the month. Month-to-month taxpaid sales were down...
Continue ReadingA second Florida Brewery surpasses Annheuser Busch in monthly retail sales. Monthly Highlights Only one new brewery is included in this edition of The Florida Brewery Report. Winery and tasting room Two Lions Winery, in Dunedin, is now a licensed brewpub as well. In October 2014, the total number of reporting breweries stands at 129. Of those, 108 breweries...
Continue ReadingTwo new wineries in September’s Florida Wineries Report. Monthly Highlights We introduce a new table in this report: a comparison of the Florida wineries’’ taxpaid sales compared to taxpaid sales of all wine in Florida. Two new wineries are included in this edition of The Florida Wineries Report: Whispering Oaks Winery in Oxford and Wine Stream in Tampa. In...
Continue ReadingHow do Florida breweries’ retail sales compare to sales of all beer in Florida? The answer in September’s Florida Breweries Report. Monthly Highlights We introduce a new table in this report: a comparison of the Florida brewers’ taxpaid sales compared to taxpaid sales of all beer in Florida. A whopping 9 new breweries are included in this edition of...
Continue ReadingThree new breweries in August’s Florida Breweries Report. Monthly Highlights Three new breweries are included in this edition of The Florida Breweries Report: LauderAle in Ft. Lauderdale, Burkes of Ireland in Crystal River, and Momentum Brewhouse in Bonita Springs. Three breweries drop off The Florida Breweries Report, because they are no longer licensed to manufacturer beer: Marco Island Brewery,...
Continue ReadingOne new winery and one new meadery in August’s Florida Winery Report. Monthly Highlights Two new manufacturers are added to The Florida Wineries Report: De Luna Winery in Pensacola, and In the Mead Time in West Palm Beach. Neither manufacturer reported retail sales in August. Based on taxpaid sales, monthly sales at Florida’s wineries by 17.3%. Annualized sales for...
Continue ReadingLabels on alcoholic beverage containers must comply with both U.S. and Florida laws and regulations. The reason these laws exist is to ensure container labels accurately represent the beverage inside. Beverage manufacturers must include specific information on the product labels. Florida manufacturers must also comply with the Florida Alcohol Beverage and Tobacco’s (ABT) label registration process and, in some...
Continue ReadingI am personally inviting you to Florida Craft’s Kickoff Event, Wednesday, October 15, from 5 pm to 8 pm at Redlight Redlight in Orlando. As many of you know, the Brewers’ Law team has for the last year been deeply focused on helping Florida beverage manufacturers—brewers, winemakers, and distillers—with the legal and regulatory steps for launching and operating their...
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