Information for this article can be found here. Below are some common questions regarding alcohol labels and the ubiquitous term “organic.” This information is provided by the TTB. Q: What does an organic claim mean? A: Either organically produced, contains organic ingredients, or was processed in an organic manner or facility that abides by USDA…
DetailsThe information for this article can be read here. The Brewers Association has had a very busy January! First, they released a seal for supporters of independent craft beer. Anyone can use the seal, such as retailers, distributors, homebrew shops, state brewers’ guild, festivals, individual people, etc. If you’re not a brewer, then this seal…
Details*This information can be found here. Start the new year off right by filing your TTB reports! Below is a couple of reports to be aware of (and ones you probably should be filing if you received your Brewers Notice). Quarterly filing of operations report Fill out form TTB F 5130.26 Only file out that…
DetailsYou may have heard that a woman was arrested for driving under the influence of vanilla extract (see news article here). How did this happen?! To read more about DUIs, check out Matheson & Associates’s blog post. Probably one of the most head scratching details of this article was that vanilla extract contains 35% alcohol!…
DetailsRecently, a company called Groovy Guy Gifts reached out and asked me to test one of their products. I picked the Forged knife and had it engraved with my father’s name. My father loved the knife and added it to his growing collection of pocket knives. Reasonably priced, the quality is great, and the locking…
DetailsThe majority of this information can be viewed here and here. In the trademark world lots of symbols are associated with a lot of different meanings. For example, the TM symbol (TM), the copyright symbol (©), the service mark symbol (SM)and the R symbol (®). What do these marks mean and are you using them…
DetailsA lot of buzz has been devoted to producing beer with hemp seeds and hemp generally. So much traction that the plethora of articles on the Internet suggest that this is a new category of beer. Actually, the first commercially available hemp-brewed beer came from Frederick Brewing Company in 1997. Recently, more breweries across the…
DetailsThe information for this blog post can be viewed here. This information pertains to North Carolina. A proposed rule for homebrew products & competitions was filed with the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings for approval. The comment period ends on November 5, 2018, and all comments can be emailed to walker.reagan@abc.nc.gov. The rule…
Details*Please keep in mind that this is information is specific to North Carolina law. Contact an attorney in your state to find out specific information about this. *This information is provided by the NC Craft Brewers Guild. Read the original article here. The information for this blog is found on Brewer Advisory: Legislature Passes ABC…
Details*This information is taken from the TTB. The full article can be read here. Transferring Beer The TTB recently made a change in how they interpret the law. Previously, federal law allowed only breweries of the same ownership to transfer beer between them without paying tax. Now, brewers can transfer beer between breweries not of…
Details*This information is taken from ‘Restrictive Covenants in Employment Agreements by Jonathan Wall, partner with Higgins Benjamin PLLC in Greensboro, NC. This information was given as a Continuing Legal Education Class (CLE) on February 3, 2016. *This article is specific to North Carolina law. Noncompete Agreements Noncompete agreements or covenant not to compete prevent an…
Details*Please keep in mind that this is information is specific to North Carolina law. Contact an attorney in your state or your state’s alcohol beverage commission’s office to find out specific information about this. People use the term “brown bagging” a lot, but when it comes to alcohol it has a very specific meaning-one that…
Details*Please keep in mind that this is information is specific to North Carolina law. Contact an attorney in your state to find out specific information about this. A couple of weeks ago one of our clients who owns a brewery in NC informed us that the ALE was cracking down on dogs in the brewery’s…
Details*Please keep in mind that this is information is specific to North Carolina law. Contact an attorney in your state to find out specific information about this. House Bill 500 (HB 500) from the North Carolina General Assembly has been presented to Governor Roy Cooper for his signature. The Bill contains several changes to ABC…
Details*The information for this blog can be found at: https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/uspto-videos/trademarks/tm-newsflash-15-assignments-and-ownership-changes What happens when the ownership of your trademark changes? This is a common occurrence caused by a business changing its name, selling your business, or assigning your trademark rights to another individual and/or company. Three common types of ownership changes are (1) change in name,…
Details*Information for this blog post is provided by Lehrman Beverage Law. If you have tried to register a trademark you may have come across words like ‘generic,’ ‘descriptive,’ ‘arbitrary,’ or ‘fanciful’ just to name a few. Someone (maybe a lawyer?) might have told you to trademark a fanciful name and not a generic name. What…
Details*This information is taken from the North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC). To read the entire packet, click here. *We also have a blog post on how to finance your business. Buying an Existing Business Always evaluate the business by reviewing its history and its operations. Learn the business’s marketing strategies, how…
Details*This information is taken from the North Carolina Rural Entrepreneurship Development System and the NC Department of Commerce Business ServiCenter. The packet is entitled “Fueling Your Business in North Carolina: A Guide to Financing for Small Businesses” and can be viewed here. How do you Plan on Financing your Business? Many people use the…
DetailsThe information for this blog post can be viewed here. This information pertains to North Carolina. Important tips to practice: Know the difference between an employee and an independent contractor. Always have a written agreement for independent contractors that details his or her service. Keep records of your employees. Employee records should have the…
DetailsThe information for this blog post can be viewed here. This information pertains to North Carolina. Some Dos & Don’ts of Businesses: Do NOT sell stock, membership interests, bonds, etc. without consulting an attorney. Stock, membership interests, bonds, etc. may be considered securities and regulated at the state and federal level. You do not want…
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