HB 1229: Craft Distilleries

Full details from the Florida Legislature.

The bill would authorize craft distilleries to hold multiple vendor’s licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages. Under the proposed language, it would be not a violation for a craft distillery that is also licensed as a vendor to transfer distilled spirits directly from the craft distillery or from its storage areas to the vendor premises. The bill requires the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco to issue permits to craft distilleries to conduct tastings and sales of wine at certain events including Florida Fairs, trade shows, expositions, and festivals. 1229 would also allow distilleries to be granted licenses as distributors if 60% of the distilled spirits produced are made with agricultural products from this state and certain operational requirements are met. 

This bill would amend section 565.03 to revise the definition of craft distilleries to include licensed distilleries that produce 250,000 or fewer gallons. This is a substantial increase from the current 75,000 gallon cap. The bill adds language to Section 565.03 (2)(c) that would allow a craft distillery (that is not licensed as a vendor) to sell up to 75,000 gallons per calendar year of branded products to consumers as long as the sales take place on property owned or leased by the craft distillery that is contiguous to its licensed location.

The bill would provide an exception to the current prohibition against distilleries from selling factory-sealed containers outside of face to face transactions at the licensed premises. The exception allows distillers to sell under permits issued for fairs, trade shows and festivals. The bill would delete a provision that prohibits a craft distillery from selling more than 6 individual containers of a branded product to a consumer. It also takes out the requirement that each container sold in face-to-face transactions with consumers must comply with container limits per calendar year for the consumers personal use and not for resale and who are present at the distillery’s licensed premises in this state. Section 3 of the bill also adds that a craft distillery may transfer up to 75,000 gallons per calendar year of distilled spirits that it manufacturers from its federal bonded space, non-bonded space at its licensed premises or storage areas to its souvenir gift shops. Section 4 would authorize craft distilleries to conduct spirituous beverage tastings upon any licensed premises authorized to sell spirituous beverages by package or for consumption on the premises.

Please note that this summary is based on the initially filed version of the bill. Click the Full Details link for updates on amendments, votes, etc.