At this time, California craft distilleries in are in the situation that brewpubs, craft breweries, and boutique wineries were 25 years ago. All their products had to be sold to distributors, who sold them to retailers, who sold them to consumers. This is refereed to as the three tire system. Today you can visit any micro-brewery or boutique winery and buy a six-pack of beer or a case of wine. Unlike beer and wine laws, the laws governing spirits have changed very little since the ending of Prohibition. You can visit a micro-distillery and only buy three bottles of their spirits. Surprisingly, though you could buy all the bottles of brandy because California distinguishes between spirits made from fruit and spirits not made from fruit. It is an odd concept that distilled fruit spirits are distinctly different from spirits distilled from any other natural source, isn’t it?
Our small Craft industry is work diligently to bring the public and government agencies up to speed on the needs of craft distillers. Our focus is on the inequality and lack of parity in the laws with fellow small craft breweries and wineries. Today micro distilleries are treated exactly like the mega producers, which puts our small volume businesses at an extreme disadvantage for shelf space in liquor stores, restaurants and bars.
We need your support. Please visit the websites below to learn more how you can help. Write your state and federal representative and advocate micro distilleries receiving legal parity in California law with other Artisan alcohol beverage producers.
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California craft distilleries want to offer tastings, sales on site, like breweries and wineries
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