The Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (DABT) recently revised its administrative rule regarding what items can be sold in restaurants (Rule 61A-3.055 Items Customarily Sold in a Restaurant). The rule was revised after a challenge to the rule filed...
Alcoholic Beverage Law
Will a liquor license transfer after I buy a bar in Florida?
Opening a bar can be a good investment, especially in Florida, where the state offers a profitable environment for leisure and hospitality businesses. But if you’re lucky enough to find a bar for sale, you may wonder if the license will be automatically transferred...
Why would a bar lose its license?
It’s very important to have all the right licensing when starting a bar, a brewery or something of this nature. Like other drinking establishments, the proper regulations must be followed. The license has to be obtained before operation begins on the premises....
Do you need a declaratory statement?
The alcohol beverage industry is one of the most tightly regulated areas you can go into, and trying to understand all the rules can be daunting. The bad news is that it can still be challenging to understand how particular laws apply to you even after you’ve been in...
Quota licenses: What are they and how can you get one?
If you’re interested in starting a business in the hospitality industry, or are looking to branch out into serving alcohol in an establishment you already have, you are likely at the stage of researching how to obtain a Florida quota liquor license. As this is a...
Your kombucha operation could violate advertising regulations
There are many laws licensing the production of alcoholic beverages. Most people think of beer, wine and distilled spirits, but kombucha can also fall into the category of regulated, alcohol-containing beverages. Many businesses that produce kombucha specifically...
Protecting alcohol-related company intellectual property
Whether you own a bar or a distillery, you manufacture alcohol or you market it, it is critical that you understand the risks you’re taking if you aren’t actively protecting your company’s intellectual property. The beer, wine and spirits industries are notoriously...
Industry members can make their voices heard on an upcoming rulemaking
Between now and March 9, 2023, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is soliciting feedback from industry members concerning potentially consequential regulatory proposals. If you have opinions concerning these proposals, consider making your voice heard....
TTB’s use of an offer in compromise for tax liability issues
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) oversees much of the alcoholic beverage industry, including tax and compliance issues. Ensuring industry members are paying their taxes in a timely manner is a key part of what the TTB does, and it can be helpful for...
New TTB system launched for CBMA foreign producers
For smaller alcohol producers or importers of spirits, wine or beer, the Craft Beverage Modernization Act (CBMA) has helped reduce some tax rates. However, it sometimes proved extremely challenging to actually realize these savings because claims were complex and...