Category: Retail
The TTB is Watching – Beverage Community Asked to Self-Report Violations
As the TTB enters a more user-friendly phase with its updated online registration portal, it is important to remember that it remains an enforcement arm of the federal government for the beverage alcohol community. In a somewhat ominous circular, the TTB requested that "each industry member review its promotional...
Changing Policies and Practices? Don’t Just Question if it’s Legal, Question the PR Consequences
Over the past few days, while many were preparing turkeys or throwing out lettuce, the Boston Globe posted Trouble is brewing at craft beer darling Trillium. The article is accessible here , and another article by Paste on the same subject is here , but the long and the...
Cause Marketing For Craft Brewers (You Can Do Good, But Don't Let Your Promotion Go Bad)
"Buy our beer and we'll donate $1 to charity." The ultimate "doing well by doing good." Many large beer brands see the marketing advantage of asking consumers to buy their product in return for the brand's donation to charity. For example, since 2011, Corona has donated a portion of...
Take That Down: Recent Lawsuit on Negative Reviews
"Beer: The cause and solution to all of life's problems." Mr. Homer J. Simpson would love the recent case of a Massachusetts craft beer company that has been trying in federal court to get the employment website Glassdoor to turn the taps off and take down negative reviews about...
A Guy Walks Into a Bar...
In an article for Craft Brewing Business , Lawyers on Tap attorney Jonathan Dunitz discusses how an improperly cleaned tap line can lead to not only serious lifelong health problems for the beer drinker, but also a significant verdict against the establishment who served the beer and its vendor...
In the Beer Aisle: Independent Craft Brewers to Stand Out from the Rest of the Pack(s)
The Brewers Association (BA) recently launched a seal to certify that a craft brewer is independent. This seal is, at least in part, in response to the global beer monoliths buying up formerly independent craft brewers as the large brewers' share of the market started to shrink. With more...
Want to Operate a Tasting Room? You'll Need to Pay Up First.
The Portland City Council voted on Monday to require Portland breweries to pay a $500 fee to operate their tasting rooms. According to the Portland Press Herald article linked below, Councilor Suslovic believes the city has a legitimate public safety concern in regulating tasting rooms. The vote is likely...
Will Mass. Pay to Play Scandal Affect Maine Brewers?
A ruling involving the business practices of a Massachusetts-based beer distributor may keep Maine-brewed beers out of bars, restaurants and other retailers for 90 days. On Friday, the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission suspended the Craft Brewers Guild's license for 90 days for engaging in a scheme in which...
Portland to Beer Drinkers: Get Your Snack On
Now that's what we're talkin bout . Reversing one of the worst decisions of all time , officials in beer Mecca Portland, Maine , (known principally as the home to this humble blog), will now allow breweries located in the City's industrial zones to sell prepackaged food at their...
Livers Quake in Anticipation of Maine Liquor Price Changes
Listen up booze enthusiasts 1 : Maine is adjusting how it determines its cut of liquor sales, which will result in price changes on February 1 for a number of products. A story by Darren Fishell of the Bangor Daily News contains the lowdown, along with some pretty cool...
