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Beer and Malt Beverages

Beer and Malt Beverages

Select the origin of your product.

   

Is your product a Saké?

   

       

Is the alcohol content of your Saké greater than or equal to 7% by volume?

   

       

Does your Saké contain added flavors or coloring materials?

   

       

Is your product a Kombucha?

   

       

Is your product made with

Malted barley?    
Hops?    

       

Is your product made with hemp or a hemp component?

   

       

Is your product made with any of these ingredients?

Extracts (other than hops extract)    
Essential oils    
Syrups    
Flavors that contain alcohol    
Natural or artificial flavors    
Compounded flavors    
Coloring    
Artificial sweeteners (for example, sucralose,  saccharin, or aspartame)    
Fruit, herbs, spices, honey, maple syrup, or other food materials    
Any ingredient that typically contains thujone (for example, wormwood, tansy, or yarrow)    

       

Are any of the following processes used in the manufacture of your beer product?

Removal of any volume of water (for example, by freezing)    
Filtration in order to substantially change the color, flavor, or character    
Separation into different components    
Reverse osmosis (on the product itself, not on ingredients used in the product, such as water)    
Concentration (production of beer concentrate)    
Ion exchange treatments    
Any other process or treatment not listed above that significantly changes the color, flavor, or character    

       

Is the alcohol content of your product 0.0 percent by volume (alcohol free)?

   

       

Is freezing or any other process used to reduce the volume of your product through the extraction of ice crystals?

   

       

Is your product made with any ingredient other than grain, hops, water, and yeast?

   

       

Do at least 51 percent of the fermentable materials used in production of your malt beverage consist of malted barley with or without rice, other grains, bran, glucose, sugar and/or molasses?

   

       

Is your product made with any of these ingredients?

Extracts (other than hops extract)    
Essential oils    
Syrups    
Flavors that contain alcohol    
Artificial flavors    
Compounded flavors    
Certified colors    
Artificial sweeteners (for example, sucralose,  saccharin, or aspartame)    
Any ingredient that typically contains thujone (for example, wormwood, tansy, or yarrow)    

       

Is your product made with hemp or a hemp component?

   

       

Malt beverages made with certain fruits (whole, juice, puree, or concentrate), herbs, spices, and other food materials are exempt from formula approval under TTB Ruling 2015-1.

View Attachment 1 to TTB Ruling 2015-1 for a list of ingredients to determine if the fruit(s), herb(s), spice(s), and other food material(s) in your malt beverage are exempted from formula requirements.

Is your malt beverage made with any fruit, herb, spice, or other food material that DOES NOT appear on the list?

   

       

Are any of the following processes used in the manufacture of your product?

Removal of any volume of water (for example, by freezing)    
Filtration in order to substantially change the color, flavor, or character    
Separation into different components    
Reverse osmosis (on the product itself, not on ingredients used in the product, such as water)    
Concentration (production of beer concentrate)    
Ion exchange treatments    
Any other process or treatment that significantly changes the color, flavor, or character    

       

XImported Saké under 7 percent alcohol by volume does NOT REQUIRE formula or label approval.

CheckDomestic Saké with added flavors or coloring materials REQUIRES formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Saké (Flavored/Colored) - Domestic from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.

CheckDomestic Saké REQUIRES formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Saké - Domestic from the dropdown on the Main tab.

CheckImported Saké greater than or equal to 7 percent alcohol by volume with added flavors or coloring materials REQUIRES formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Saké (Flavored/Colored) - Imported from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.
  • Note: Imported Saké is classified as wine for labeling purposes.

CheckImported Saké greater than or equal to 7 percent alcohol by volume REQUIRES formula approval and laboratory sample analysis

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Agricultural Wine/Sake/Rice Wine – Imported from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab and complete all required information on the Samples tab.
  • Note: Imported Saké is classified as wine for labeling purposes.

CheckDomestic Kombucha REQUIRES formula approval.

 

XImported Kombucha does NOT REQUIRE formula or label approval.

XImported beer made with malted barley but without hops does NOT REQUIRE formula or label approval.

XImported beer made with hops but without malted barley does NOT REQUIRE formula or label approval.

XImported beer made without both malted barley and hops does NOT REQUIRE formula or label approval.

CheckBeer made with hemp or a hemp component REQUIRES formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Product Excludes Malted Barley And/Or Hops from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab. Refer to our Hemp Policy for information on what must be included as supporting documentation with your formula application.

CheckDomestic beer made with flavoring, coloring, and sweetening ingredients REQUIRES formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Product Excludes Malted Barley And/Or Hops from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.

CheckDomestic beer made with any ingredient that typically contains thujone REQUIRES formula approval and laboratory sample analysis.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Product Excludes Malted Barley And/Or Hops from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab and complete all required information on the Samples tab.

CheckDomestic beer made with any of these processes REQUIRES formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Product Excludes Malted Barley And/Or Hops from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.

XIt appears this domestic beer does NOT REQUIRE formula approval.

 

CheckMalt beverages with 0.0 percent alcohol by volume REQUIRE formula approval and laboratory sample analysis.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Alcohol Free Beer from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab and complete all required information on the Samples tab.

CheckMalt beverages that are made with a process to reduce the volume through the extraction of ice crystals REQUIRE formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and Select Ice Beer from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab. See TTB Ruling 94-3 for TTB’s policy on ice beer.

CheckMalt beverages made with less than 51 percent malted barley with or without rice, other grains, bran, glucose, sugar and/or molasses REQUIRE formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Malt Beverage Specialty from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.

CheckMalt beverages made with any of these ingredients REQUIRE formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Malt Beverage Specialty from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.

CheckMalt beverages made with any ingredient that typically contains thujone REQUIRE formula approval and laboratory sample analysis [link to new guidance].

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Malt Beverage Specialty from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab and complete all required information on the Samples tab.

CheckDomestic malt beverages made with hemp or a hemp component REQUIRE formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Malt Beverage Specialty from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab. Refer to our Hemp Policy for information on what must be included as supporting documentation with your formula application.

CheckImported malt beverages made with hemp or a hemp component REQUIRE formula approval and laboratory sample analysis.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Malt Beverage Specialty from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab and complete all required information on the Samples tab. Refer to our Hemp Policy for information on what must be included as supporting documentation with your formula application.

CheckMalt beverages made with any fruit, herb, spice, or other food material that does not appear on Attachment 1 REQUIRE formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Malt Beverage Specialty from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.

CheckMalt beverages made with any of these processes REQUIRE formula approval.

  • Proceed to Formulas Online to apply and select Made With Non-Traditional Process(es) from the Class/Type dropdown on the Main tab.

XIt appears this malt beverage does not require formula approval.

  • See 27 CFR 7.30 (imports) and 7.40 (domestic) for information about when a Certificate of Label Approval is required.
  • If required, proceed to COLAs Online to apply.

Last updated: January 31, 2020
Maintained by: Alcohol Labeling and Formulation Division