Compliance with Alcohol Part 5 of our Festival blog series. Check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 Are you compliant? Hopefully, yes. If not, hopefully these rules can help you. Serving alcohol in general follows a lot of strict rules. Below is a list of guidelines that breweries must follow to…
Compliance at Festivals in NC: Quality Control Tasting & Attire Part 4 of our Festival blog series. Check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 Are you compliant? Hopefully, yes. If not, hopefully these rules can help you. We’ve (mostly the ABC) have broken down compliance issues into four parts: pre-festival/event, staffing at the festival/event, quality…
Part 3 of our Festival blog series. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 Are you compliant? Hopefully, yes. If not, hopefully these rules can help you. We’ve (mostly the ABC) have broken down compliance issues into four parts: pre-festival/event, staffing at the festival/event, quality control testing, and festival/event attire. This blog focuses on pre-festival/event…
Part 2 of our Festivals series blog posts. Check out Part 1. For this blog post we highlight the differences between two commonly used permits: the Malt Beverage Special Event Permit and the Winery Special Event Permit. Malt Beverage Special Event Permit If you have a Malt Beverage Special Event Permit you are allowed to…
Part 1 of our festival blog post series. It’s summer. It’s hot outside. Outdoor festivals and events ensue. Our next couple of blog posts will be breaking down the NC ABC’s rules for festivals/events. Stay tuned for our posts! The NC ABC has some pretty strict rules on the co-mingling of alcohol and festivals/events.…
USPTO Trademark Registration The difference between a standard trademark application versus an Intent to Use application. We always get a lot of questions regarding trademarks, about the registration process, and the different types of trademark applications. Watch the video to learn more about the USPTO and how to register trademarks. Contact…
What are they? Do I need a permit? What does the label look like? So many questions, and hopefully this article will help clear up some confusion. Growlers are a rigid glass, plastic, aluminum, or stainless steel container with a flip-top or screw-on lid that is no larger than two 2 liters (0.5283 gallons) into…
What is it and FAQs *This article ONLY pertains to private clubs in North Carolina. I stumbled upon this helpful “Frequently Asked Questions” pamphlet that the NC ABC Commission wrote. Click here to read more FAQs. Underlined portions are added for emphasis. The link to the original PDF is below. A private club is an…
FAQ Time: I stumbled upon this helpful “Frequently Asked Questions” pamphlet that the NC ABC Commission wrote. We underlined certain portions for emphasis. The link to the original PDF is below. Q: If I run out of alcoholic beverages at one business can I transfer it to my other permitted business? No. If you own…
Just when you thought you were done with the TTB. . . . It is extremely important to keep the TTB informed about any major changes to your brewery, winery, or distillery. Anytime you have a “significant change” you need to update your Brewers Notice with a TTB Amendment. A “significant change” is generally: A…
Here’s my round-up (a couple of days late) of last weeks best stories and articles for Small Business and Beer Business. Small Business I often advise clients on when is the right time to incorporate or form a business (i.e. start acting as a business and not as a person) and why. Thanks to Nina…
It’s that time again! It has been a busier week than I had realized, there’s a lot to cover, so get ready. Here’s my summary of the best articles in (small) Business and (craft) Beer Small Business This year has some special issues going on for personal and corporate/business taxes. Here’s a…
I’ve been thinking about the Big Beer companies, the big and the getting-bigger companies. The story starts a few weeks ago. I had been watching a thread on a forum where a homebrewer started off by saying something like “I can’t drink macro lager anymore. I can’t believe anyone who like craft beer can stand…
Ok, so here’s the round up for this past week. I’m going to try and separate by topic area, but there’s a lot to cover, so buckle in! Small Business Beware the Paralyzing “Whac-A-Mole” Trademark Mentality Trademark: develop a trademark strategy. First, don’t run after a trademark after someone else has started using it. Then…
So, I got this question late last week and advised a client appropriately, but perhaps it is worth a bit more discussion / generalization. Sorry this post turned out longer than most, but it is all important stuff. So here goes: You may have seen my article earlier on LLC v Inc, and that is…
I’ve been thinking about the craft beer market lately. I work with several craft breweries and folks who want to get into the craft beer and beverage industry and I’ve been reading a lot about new breweries opening, new beers out there, and what the latest and greatest “extreme” beer to come down the pike.…
Quick note: This week’s entry is a guest post from Chris Creech at Fortnight Brewing in Raleigh/Durham. Chris and his team are a great group of people and blazing a path toward opening the newest brewery in the area. They’re focused on English inspired beers and are constantly out in the community working toward their…
OK, here’s a free bonus post! It’s been a week+ since then, but I have to tell you about a recent event I attended. It’s really just an example of many events and something that I really LOVE about the Craft Beer Culture. I attended Casks for a Cure at Rockfish Grill in Durham, NC…
I just responded to an email about breweries and lawyers. Trying to develop a niche practice in serving the craft beer industry is tough and I thought about why that is. I believe craft beer (whether brewing, distributing, or serving) people often don’t consult an attorney because either “I can handle all this stuff myself.…
Ok. So I said I’d talk about starting a business in NC, but I’m going to insert this brief post in between. In short, I’m excited because of the recent announcements involving one of my favorite subjects: North Carolina Beer! You may have seen the recent story in the News & Observer talking about the…