ABT Archives - Brewers' Law

ABT Jul 14, 2023 | Read Time: 2 minutes

Florida Guidelines for Third-Party Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages

By Madison Long

In Florida, the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) is concerned about violations of the Tied House Evil Law, which aims to prevent unfair practices in the alcoholic beverage industry. This law prohibits manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers from controlling local markets through payments to alcohol retailers and other unfair marketing techniques. The ABT has established guidelines for third-party...

ABT Jun 14, 2023 | Read Time: 2 minutes

Updated: Festival Participation for Florida Craft Distilleries

By Trevor Brewer

Florida distilleries must be careful about how they participate in festivals. It’s not as easy as just showing up with the booze.

ABT Jun 11, 2023 | Read Time: 3 minutes

Post-Licensing Changes that require Update and Approval

By Madison Long

When you finally receive the necessary licenses to operate your beverage business in Florida from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT), it’s incredibly exciting and relieving. However, it’s important to remember that your relationship with these organizations is ongoing, and there may be circumstances in which...

ABT May 14, 2023 | Read Time: 4 minutes

UPDATED: 6 Requirements for Florida Restaurant’s to Sell Beer, Wine & Liquor

By Trevor Brewer

Florida restaurants that want to sell beer, wine and liquor–whether at a restaurant bar or to seated customers–must have a 4COP-SFS (formerly known as 4COP-SRX) license issued by the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (ABT) pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 561.20(2)(a)4. Most recently, this law was updated by Florida Law 2023-65, effective July 1, 2023. To get...

ABT Feb 26, 2023 | Read Time: 5 minutes

Florida’s Temporary Alcohol Licenses: FAQ

By Trevor Brewer

Applicants for a Florida alcoholic beverage license–whether a manufacturing, distribution, or retail vendor license–can get a Temporary Initial License. What is it? What is a Temporary Initial License? A Temporary Initial License allows alcoholic beverage companies to get an alcoholic beverage license more quickly. As soon as the Temporary Initial License is issued, the licenseholder can immediately begin the...

ABT Jan 8, 2023 | Read Time: 4 minutes

Compliance Checkup for Florida Alcoholic Beverage Companies

By Trevor Brewer

Happy New Year! The beginning of the year is a great time for alcoholic beverage industry members–manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers–to review the events of the prior and confirm that they have taken care of regulatory compliance. In addition to periodic reporting required at the federal and state levels, changes to ownership, management, or premises triggers the requirement to update...

ABT Dec 11, 2022 | Read Time: 4 minutes

Variation Requests by Florida Alcohol Suppliers

By Trevor Brewer

Laws and regulations that govern the production and sale of alcoholic beverage products can seem very strict. This is true for the most part. However, there are circumstances when variances from the rules–either permanent or temporary–are authorized. The key to any variance from federal or state alcoholic beverage regulations is the same: a request for variance must be made...

ABT Nov 13, 2022 | Read Time: 4 minutes

What Brewdog Brewing Tells Us About the Florida ABT’s Role

By Trevor Brewer

Brewdog Brewing Asked About a Flaw in the Florida Beer Franchise Law In 2020, Brewdog Brewing Company LLC (“Brewdog”) asked the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) what the word “successor” means as used in the Florida Beer Franchise Law, Florida Statutes Section 563.022(16). At stake was whether would be bound to the distribution agreements that had...

ABT Nov 6, 2022 | Read Time: 5 minutes

What Florida Law Says about Pop-Up Bars & Restaurants

By Trevor Brewer

Nothing. Despite the popularity of pop-up bars and restaurants, Florida does not have special laws and regulations that are specifically aimed at these short-term hospitality concepts. That’s a problem for pop-up organizers. The primary attributes of pop-ups are their limited durations (sometimes as short as one event) and their uncommon locations (abandoned businesses, building rooftops, airplane hangars, etc.). But...

ABT Sep 4, 2022 | Read Time: 3 minutes

Florida Alcoholic Beverage Storage Permits: Which One is Right?

By Trevor Brewer

Florida Beverage Law authorizes two types of permits for the storage of alcoholic beverages: the Off Premises Storage (OPS) permit and the State Bonded Warehouse (SBW) permit. A comparison chart showing the different attributes of both permits is below. Off Premises Storage (OPS): Ideal for Vendors The Off Premises Storage (OPS) permit is intended for the storage of taxpaid,...