Our readers might remember a BLC blog post on Groovy Guy Gifts (check it out here). Groovy Groomsmen Gifts (a subsection of Groovy Guy Gifts) reached out to me again to test one of their products. I picked the Ace of Case which is a leather travel kit. The travel kit was the perfect gift…
Recently we had a potential client contact us because the NC ABC threatened to shut down his alcohol establishment. Sounds sad, but we discovered a major compliance issue. The man, let’s say his name was George, was part owner of a nightclub in Downtown Raleigh. He received a letter from the ABC on Friday morning.…
A 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…
*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…
*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…
*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…
*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…
The information for this blog post can be viewed here. This information pertains to North Carolina. Below are some general tips for business contracts: Make sure all parties’ names are correct with the correct titles. Number all of the pages. Contracts should be in writing for: Transfer of land, easements, mortgages, deeds of trust, leases,…
*The information for this blog post can be viewed here. Information viewed here also supports this blog. Once your label receives TTB approval, you can change certain items on your label without submitting a new COLA label. Any changes you make to your label must be in compliance with federal regulations. You CAN: Delete non-mandatory…
Playing Music on Your Premise Information for the blog post can be viewed here. For more information regarding music licensing and managing your restaurant/taproom, please visit www.restaurant.org. The legality surrounding music licensing and playing music in your brewery/distillery is a hot topic. So hot, in fact, that CBC had a seminar on the topic (“Pulling…
*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. As many of you know, if you have an On-Premise Malt Beverage permit…
How to Start: *the Internet hosts a plethora of valuable resources on starting a winery. Specifically, Cornell University has a detailed mock business plan guide that can be found here. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Science produced a basic outline of the pertinent steps to take if/when you want to open…
We receive SO many questions about specimens. When do I submit one? How do I submit one? What type of specimen? And even, what is a specimen? Have no fear! Let’s break it down. Taken from the USPTO website: a specimen is a sample of how you actually use the mark in commerce on your…
We get a lot, I mean A LOT, of questions about the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and trademark legal stuff in general. So, if reading blogs about trademarks is not your thing, then you might want to skip our next couple blogs. The USPTO only: Reviews trademark applications and determines if the…
We have a HUGE announcement! We are so proud to announce the arrival of John’s book, Beer Law: What Brewers Need to Know After three years of dedicated hard work, it has finally hit the shelves! John’s book is available on Amazon and through our office. To buy the book through Beer Law Center contact…
Everything you need to know and probably more than you want to know about kombucha. I admit, I don’t think we have a client that produces kombucha. But, there must be a brewer out there who wants to know more about kombucha. Here you go: What is kombucha? Kombucha refers to a fermented beverage produced…
How do I sell private equity in my brewery? Do I need to present anything to investors? If you have these questions then keep reading! Any private equity or debt for sale is a . The Securities Act of 1933 created the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Securities fall under the Securities Act of 1933…
For this blog post I want to talk about two forms that are pretty standard for a TTB application, regardless of whether or not you’re a distillery or brewery. The forms are the Power of Attorney form and the Signing Authority form-both of which are linked below. What are the Power of Attorney and Signing…
Much like everything with alcohol it’s complicated. The ABC (specifically North Carolina General Statute §18-B-303 & §18B-400) details the exact rules, amounts, and volume of alcohol you can transport without getting a permit. I’ve divided alcohol into three categories: (1) beer, (2) unfortified wine, and (3) spirituous liquor & fortified wine. You do NOT need…
When you apply for your NC ABC permits you need to submit a Recycling Compliance form. We know that recycling is not the sexist or most titillating of reads, but hopefully some of you will find this information helpful. The information for this blog can be found here. Why do I have to recycle? All…