Does Using A Third Party Make It Legal?
No, using an agency doesn’t make it legal. For that tidbit and more, check out MalkinLaw’s principal attorney’s latest for SevenFifty Daily here.
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Beer
TTB Offer in Compromise
TTB accepted an offer in compromise from Crown Imports in the amount of $420,000. TTB alleges that Crown violated 27 USC 205(b) by entering into “agreements or understandings with retailers, directly or indirectly through (1) an ostensibly independent third-party, or...
Idaho Passes Senate Bill Defining Permissible Craft Brewing Practices
Senate Bill 1078, signed into law on March 25th, 2019, amended Idaho Code Section 23-1001, by defining “contractee brewer” and “contractor brewer” as well as adding a new Section 23-1057 to authorize contract brewing in certain instances. Newly amended Idaho Code...
Retailers and FL Beer Suppliers Rejoice!
Florida malt beverage suppliers and local bar owners are thrilled over the passage of House Bill 961, which creates an exception to Florida’s “tied house evil” prohibitions and amends Florida Statute 561.42 by allowing distributors to provide, and vendors, or...
Trademark Protection for Alcohol Brands: How to Differentiate Similar Marks in the Same International Class
Narrowing the international class for your alcohol beverage brand, products, or services for which you seek trademark protection is a rather straightforward decision; it comes down to either international class 32 for beer or international class 33 for all other wine...
Just as Craft Brewers Catch a Temporary Break on Federal Excise Taxes, Trump Administration Announces Steep New Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Imports
Just as craft distillers did in May, the brewers association also went to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress to make permanent the two-year reduction in federal excise taxes that went into effect January 1, 2018, cutting tax rates for craft brewers from $7 to $3.50 per...
TTB Told Brewer To Stop Production of CBD Beer
San Francisco’s Black Hammer Brewing was ordered by the TTB to cease production of all of its CBD beers. The TTB requires special approval for any non-standard beer ingredients, which the brewery did not receive. Plenty of materials that are food-safe aren’t on that...
Homebrewers and Florida Beer Fests
With the popularity of Florida beer fests, it is no surprise that the DABT keeps a close eye on festival organizer’s compliance with state and local alcohol laws, especially when it comes to unlicensed exhibitors sampling homebrews. Florida Statute section...
Craft Beer Seal
The Brewers Association (“BA”), the trade group of independent American craft brewers, launched a seal that informs consumers that the beer was produced by an independent brewery. The BA release says, “to proudly display that independent spirit, the Brewers Association has created a symbol to unify craft breweries from around the country. This symbol—the independent craft brewer seal—gives beer lovers an easy…
Heineken Tequila Flavored Beer Is In Dispute With “Tequila”
Heineken, importers of Desperados beer, is battling Mexico’s Consejo Regulador del Tequila (“CRT”) over the beer being tequila flavored. Use of the name tequila in alcoholic beverages (like Champagne or Cognac) is a designation of origin regulated by the CRT. The CRT says the beer violates the rules because the beer is, well, a beer and not a spirit. According to Beverage…