When Governor Rick Scott signed into law CS/SB 186, he largely ended Florida’s state of growler confusion. However, the 2015 beverage law–which is now known as Florida Law 2015-12–will do much more to improve the status of craft beverages in Florida when it becomes effective July 1, 2015. This article describes how Florida’s breweries, distilleries, distributors, and vendors can...
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...
Continue ReadingChoosing the location for your new Florida brewery, winery, or distillery is a big moment in the life of your beverage business. Before making a final decision, answer these five questions about the location.
Continue ReadingHave you every watched a runner take a hard fall during a marathon? That’s how I feel about Mile Marker Brewing Co.’s closing its taproom last week. I am sure it was a hard decision for the Mile Marker team, and I wish them the best. I do not have any special insight into the situation at Mile Marker,...
Continue ReadingAs Florida-made craft beer, spirits, and wine continue to grow in popularity, Florida beverage manufacturers may find it hard to keep up with demand. Every growing manufacturer must ask: Should we expand? Deciding to expand involves answering a slew of questions, all while keeping existing production on track. This article reviews four primary questions a manufacturer must answer when...
Continue ReadingThe Florida Legislature is considering a pair of bills aimed at Florida’s wine and spirits importers. House Bill 1201 and Senate Bill 1552 are mirror images of one another. If passed, the bills would make technical corrections surrounding the “American source of supply” designation and would prohibit alteration of imported bottles of wine or spirits.
Continue ReadingManufacturers of distilled spirits in Florida are regulated by the State of Florida and the federal government. This post discusses the state-level licensing of distilleries in Florida. The Basics of Florida Distilling Laws Do you need a craft distillery license to distill alcohol? Yes. The Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco (ABT) is authorized to issue separate licenses...
Continue ReadingBeverage manufacturers–breweries, wineries, and distilleries–are often the creation of a core group of owners. One of the owners might be the mad-scientist brewer, who loves to create new style-busting beers. Another might be the marketing genius, who believes that a beer can be sold with the right branding and marketing. Still another might be the financier, who knows a...
Continue Reading