In an update to an earlier blog post, the FDA issued warning letters today to four manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages. The FDA stated in the letters that caffeine added to malt alcoholic beverages was an “unsafe food additive ” and thus, such products are in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
FDA May Issue Warning on Alcoholic Energy Drinks; States Move to Ban “Blackout in a Can”
Amidst rising incidences of hospitalizations in college and teenage drinkers linked to consumption of alcoholic energy drinks, the Washington State Liquor Control Board banned their sale effective tomorrow, November 18, 2010. The move came on the heels of a request by Washington Governor Christine Gregoire, whose office stated in a November 10 press release that they were “…particularly
Bernie Kipp at Great American Distiller’s Festival
Craft distillers from coast to coast attended the 6th Annual Great American Distiller’s Festival (GADF) on October 23 and 24, 2010 at the Tiffany Center in NW Portland. 38 separate distilleries poured more than 70 gins, vodkas, whiskey’s and rums in a celebration of all things “spirited.”
Special events included seminars for distillers and tours of Portland distilleries. 
Seminar presenters
Audit Supports More Liquor Permits for Utah
A recent legislative audit made several strong recommendations for reforming Utah’s liquor laws, in particular the quota system for granting alcohol permits. The audit echoes reports that the current shortage of alcohol permits is stifling economic development and does not reflect the state’s changing population.
Utah is in the small minority of control states that grant liquor
More Liquor Permits Possible for Utah
Senator John Valentine (R – Orem) has announced that he intends to introduce a bill in the next Utah legislative session that would establish a property right in liquor permits, allowing restaurants with current liquor permits to sell them. Use of any purchased permit would be conditioned upon approval by the state liquor-control board. The
Washington RESTAURANTS: Proposed Changes to Rules
WSLCB just issued a Notice of Rule Making that will amend rules that apply to retail licensees. While some of the proposed changes are organizational in nature – moving provisions from one chapter to another – there are a few key changes that restaurants should take note of. These changes will likely raise questions that
Update on Utah’s Privatization Process
As we previously reported, Utah is considering privatizing at least some aspects of its liquor control. On Wednesday, August 25, John Freeman, the Deputy Director of Operations for The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (“DABC”) appeared before the Privatization Board to answer questions.
Mr. Freeman presented four reasons to maintain the status quo. First
Possible Privatization of Utah Liquor Stores
The sixteen-member Utah Privatization Policy Board was created by the legislature to determine what services currently provided by the state can be privatized. State liquor stores are one of many state functions that the Board is examining.
Utah is one of 18 states, and two Maryland counties, that currently use a state run retail system, commonly
Variations of Organic Labeling
Figuring out what information must be on your wine label can be tedious. Adding terms like "organic" or "sustainably-grown" can be even more challenging. Extra steps are required for adding organic certifications or claims to a wine label, although the regulation of such claims under the TTB COLA process has been made more clear with the Memorandum
Oregon Homebrewers Stymied by New Interpretation of Law
By Guest Blogger, Summer Associate
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission and the Oregon Department of Justice recently opined that, under a post-prohibition-era law, homebrewed beer and homemade wine must be consumed at home. This opinion, reportedly in response to a question regarding the permissibility of public competitions involving homebrewed beer, is in effect a reversal