Week of February 6, 2009
Greetings! Hope you are having an awesome and enlightening week! This edition provides information on personal or family distilleries, an offer from us to state regulators to review any proposed farm/craft distillery legislation to insure harmonization with TTB regulations, and the establishment and expansion of AVAs.
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In the TTB Newsletter, we compile the top TTB news of the week and other helpful information about the Bureau and the Federal alcohol and tobacco laws and regulations we enforce. Please send any questions and/or comments to Susan Stewart Evans, Executive Liaison for Industry Matters (susan.stewart-evans@ttb.gov) and/or Frosty Chapman, State Liaison (forrest.chapman@ttb.gov). |
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CAN I PRODUCE SPIRITS FOR MY PERSONAL OR FAMILY USE WITHOUT PAYING FEDERAL EXCISE TAX AND FILING FEDERAL PAPERWORK?
Unlike wine and beer, Federal law does not permit the production of distilled spirits for personal or family use. In order to produce distilled spirits for beverage use or industrial purposes, you must first qualify with TTB under the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act in the event you are producing or bottling distilled spirits for a beverage use. You can find information about these requirements on the TTB.gov homepage under the "Distilled Spirits" tab. There are significant civil sanctions and criminal penalties for the unlawful production of distilled spirits. In addition, you should check with your State alcohol regulator to determine the applicable State law requirements. A Federal qualification to produce distilled spirits does not exempt you from complying with State law requirements.
NOTE TO STATE REGULATORS WHICH HAVE CRAFT/FARM DISTILLERY LEGISLATION PROPOSED/PENDING
Note to State Regulators: If your legislature is considering craft distillery legislation and you wish to be sure that the proposed legislation harmonizes with TTB requirements, please contact Frosty Chapman, State Liaison, at forrest.chapman@ttb.gov.
TTB ESTABLISHES SNIPES MOUNTAIN AVA ANDEXPANDS PASO ROBLES AVA
We have published final rules in the Federal Register establishing the Snipes Mountain viticultural area and expanding the Paso Robles viticultural area. Treasury Decision (T.D.) TTB-73 establishes the 4,145-acre Snipes Mountain viticultural area in Yakima County, Washington. T.D. TTB-72 expands by 2,635 acres the existing 609,673-acre Paso Robles American viticultural area in San Luis Obispo County, California. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase.
Both final rules become effective February 20, 2009.