One of the greatest challenges to opening or expanding an alcoholic manufacturing plant–whether brewery, winery, or distillery–is complying with local zoning ordinances. While many Florida communities have enacted specific craft beverage ordinances, most have not. As a result, getting that all-important zoning approval for a new or amended alcohol manufacturing or retail license can pose a time and cost...
Continue ReadingThe laws concerning craft distilleries was updated in 2021. As a result, this blog post no longer reflects current Florida law. For the latest, see: 2021 FLORIDA CRAFT DISTILLERIES LAW: GENERAL OVERVIEW. Federal and Florida laws make it hard for all alcoholic beverage manufacturers to operate and thrive. But the regulatory landscape is particularly hard for Florida distilleries. Here are...
Continue ReadingThe TTB’s Alcohol FAQs is required reading for alcoholic beverage manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
Continue ReadingThe laws concerning craft distilleries was updated in 2021. As a result, this blog post no longer reflects current Florida law. For the latest, see: 2021 FLORIDA CRAFT DISTILLERIES LAW: GENERAL OVERVIEW. Florida craft distilleries are allowed to sell their own distilled products in their gift shops. However, this does not include the products a craft distillery makes by...
Continue ReadingAlcoholic beverage caterers can be great business partners for Florida breweries, wineries and distilleries. As well as supplying beer and wine for catered events, manufacturers can host catered events in their retail and manufacturing spaces, provided they follow the right regulatory steps.
Continue ReadingBitters are often called the spices of the cocktail world. Although alcohol is a primary ingredient in most cocktail bitters, they are treated differently than other alcoholic products under federal law and the laws of Florida.
Continue ReadingBeverage manufacturers–breweries, distilleries, and wineries–are ideally suited to bring valuable investment to rundown neighborhoods and distressed communities. These are the exact areas targeted by the Opportunity Zone tax incentives created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Some new and existing beverage manufacturers might benefit from locating in “O-Zones.”
Continue ReadingFlorida craft distilleries can charge for customer enrichment activities and non-spirituous products, but tasting samples must be provided for free
Continue ReadingFlorida’s new Hemp Law became effective July 1, 2019, and with it “hemp” beer (and other products) is now legal in Florida. However, federal and state regulations still limit use of hemp in alcoholic beverages.
Continue ReadingThere are only so many hoppy, reserve, barrel-aged names to go around. This means that more and more otherwise happy, brotherly-loving brewers, vintners and distillers are taking aim at each other over company names and product names that may or may not be infringing on one another. Before deciding your next beer MUST be named Brewers’Law Lager, or whatever,...
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