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August 3-4 Texas Package Stores Association 67th Annual TPSA Trade Show & Convention | Fort Worth, TX
ABL & PUBLIC POLICY News
Federal highway safety grants go unclaimed
Regulators and advocacy groups have attached so many strings to highway safety incentive
grants that few states have qualified for millions in federal dollars.
Durbin amendment pushes bank growth
There is no love lost between banks and the Durbin Amendment, but for the most part
institutions appear to have accepted and managed around the vilified debit interchange fee cap
during the four years following the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act.
Feds test how alcohol and marijuana affects volunteers while driving
A small group of volunteers spent much of the last year getting drunk and stoned on marijuana
furnished by the federal government before getting behind the wheel.
Marijuana poses more risks than many realize
Doctors say they're increasingly fielding questions about the safety of marijuana, as use of the
drug rises and more communities consider legalizing it. Colorado and Washington state have
legalized recreational marijuana, and medical use is allowed in 21 states and Washington, D.C.
Repeal Prohibition, Again (Opinion)
It took 13 years for the United States to come to its senses and end Prohibition, 13 years in
which people kept drinking, otherwise law-abiding citizens became criminals and crime
syndicates arose and flourished. It has been more than 40 years since Congress passed the
current ban on marijuana, inflicting great harm on society just to prohibit a substance far less
dangerous than alcohol.
The federal government's own statistics show that marijuana is safer than alcohol
Opponents of marijuana legalization return to one particular number over and over in their
arguments: the number of emergency room visits involving marijuana. This ONDCP fact sheet
breathlessly reports that "mentions of marijuana use in emergency room visits have risen 176
percent since 1994, surpassing those of heroin." The Drug Enforcement Administration's
"Dangers and Consequences of Marijuana Abuse," a 41-page tour-de-force of decontextualized
factoids, reports that marijuana was involved in nearly half a million E.R. visits in 2011, second
only to cocaine.
AFFILIATE News
Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association
Kingsport, Bristol voters to decide on wine in grocery stores
INDUSTRY News
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
Newsletter
Brewers Association
BA Reports Sustained Growth for Craft
The Center for Alcohol Policy
New Speakers Added for Seventh Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference
National Beer Wholesalers Association
America's Beer Distributors Applaud Sustained Growth for Craft Beer
NBWA's 77th Annual Convention to Offer 20 Education Seminars
Beer by the Numbers: Beer, Wine and Liquor Inflation Improving for Consumers
National Restaurant Association
Infographic: Who is a typical restaurant worker?
ASSOCIATE Spotlight
Brown-Forman: Gold Associate
Member
Brown-Forman is a diversified producer of fine
quality consumer products. It was founded in
1870 by George Garvin Brown in Louisville, KY, U.S. His original brand, Old Forester Kentucky
Straight Bourbon Whisky, was America's first bottled bourbon and remains one of BrownForman's finest brands today. Geo. Garvin Brown IV, a descendant of the founder, is part of the
5th generation of Brown Family members engaged with the company and serves as the Presiding
Chairman of the Board. Visit Brown-Forman.
STATE News
Iowa: Self-Serve Beer Machine Could Come to Iowa City
The Iowa City Attorney's Office says a soon-to-open local restaurant has applied for a waiver,
which would allow them to install a self-serve beer machine. Meaning when it opens next
month, the Iowa Chop House on Washington St., would get the first self-serve machine in the
city.
Maine: Tougher drunk driving laws will go into effect
Effective August 1st, if you're convicted of a felony drunk driving offense, it will never be cleared
from your record and can be used against you if you're convicted of anything else in the future.
Massachusetts: Bottoms Up: Boston to Receive 75 New Liquor Licenses
Select areas of Boston will receive 75 liquor licenses over the next three years after a
Massachusetts joint committee approved an economic development bill on Wednesday night.
The bill is an attempt to rejuvinate outlying neighborhoods by boosting their food (and drinks)
industries.
Missouri: Major Brands buying distributor Missouri Beverage
Purchasing St. Louis-based Missouri Beverage, known as MoBev, will allow Major Brands, the
largest Missouri-owned distributor of wine, spirits and beer, to grow its roster of brands, said
Sue McCollum, CEO of St. Louis-based Major Brands.
New Hampshire: Liquor Commission reports record-high sales of $626 million, up 4 percent
New Hampshire's liquor sales in the past fiscal year were a record high $626 million. The record
sales for fiscal year 2014 were $23 million higher than the previous fiscal year - an increase of
nearly 4 percent.
New Jersey: Commercial real estate industry seek reforms on liquor license process
Calling current liquor laws outdated and inequitable, members of the commercial real estate
industry are working to reform the process in a way that won't penalize business owners who
already have a license, which in some cases can cost millions of dollars.
New Jersey: In Bergen County, Controversy Brews Over Popular Korean Drink 'Soju'
Controversy is brewing in Bergen County over a popular Korean drink. Palisades Park is home to
one of the nation's largest Korean populations. Inside some stores and restaurants on Broad
Street many patrons can't live without 'soju' a distilled liquor, traditionally made from wheat,
rice, or barley.
Ohio: Bartenders face balancing act: When not to sell
Anyone who has been to a bar has probably seen someone who's had too much to drink - even
though selling another drink to someone who's already had too many is illegal. It's for that
reason an Ohio bartender is facing a third-degree misdemeanor charge. She was charged with
selling liquor and beer to an intoxicated person, who then got in his car and killed a
schoolteacher on a bicycle in February.
Oregon: Major Oregon marijuana critic lays out his case against legalization
Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis says he and other law enforcement officials won't
have much money to battle the marijuana legalization measure on the November ballot.
But he hopes that Oregon voters will once again vote against liberalizing the state's marijuana
laws and he has some reason to hope for a win: His side has prevailed in the last three statewide
initiative fights against pro-marijuana forces.
Pennsylvania: Lawmaker introduces DUI sentencing bill
A Pennsylvania lawmaker whose district includes part of Franklin County has introduced
legislation that would stiffen the penalties for repeat driving under the influence offenders who
kill someone with a vehicle.
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board suspends in-store tastings
Customers who have enjoyed a sip of a white Burgundy or pinot noir at weekly staff-led wine
tastings at state wine and spirits stores will find the supply dried up for the next few weeks.
Pennsylvania: PLCB votes to lower fee for gaming licenses
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board voted unanimously Wednesday to reduce the fee for a
Tavern Gaming License from $2,000 to $500. The decision drops the fee to the lowest amount
allowed by a recent legislative change, a PLCB news release said. The new fee structure will apply
to new applicants for the license, as well as the three applicants who have not yet paid the fee.
Tennessee: No ID, no liquor - and wrinkles don't count; 'universal carding' the norm now in
Tennessee
With his white beard, lined face and gravelly voice, Gary Owens could pass for songwriter Kris
Kristofferson's younger brother.
No one would mistake him for a 20-year-old.
Tennessee: Liquor store owners adjusting to new law
Bard Quillman owns the Red Dog Wine and Spirits store in Franklin. While proud of his new
stock, he says he never thought he'd be selling lemons, mixers and sodas at his store.
Utah: Annual liquor sales in Utah up $20 million
Utah alcohol sales reached another record high, growing by more than $20 million over the past
year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage
Control (DABC).
Utah: Coming soon to Utah liquor stores: cannabis oils?
A state senator who co-sponsored the bill legalizing the possession of cannabis extracts to treat
children with epilepsy is considering ways to make it easier for Utah parents to get the oils,
including potentially making them available at state liquor stores.
Virginia: Craft Beer Industry Helps Grow Virginia's Tourism Economy
According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the commonwealth is quickly becoming a hot
spot for craft beer lovers. Tourism in parts of central Virginia is increasing thanks to the wide
variety of quality craft beers available.
BUSINESS & LIFESTYLE News
Why Your 'Small-Batch' Whiskey Might Taste A Lot Like The Others
It's a good time to be a whiskey maker, and craft whiskeys are all the rage, with names like
Bulleit, Redemption, Templeton and George Dickel. But according to a on The Daily Beast, some
of those producers tossing off hazy, golden adjectives like "hand-crafted," "small-batch" and
"artisanal" are, well, not. There's a factory in Indiana churning out massive quantities of
beverage-grade alcohol, and some distilleries are just buying it and putting it in their pretty
bottles.
Where Your "Craft" Whiskey Is Distilled Is Essentially Unimportant: A Rebuttal to The Daily
Beast's Eric Felten
Eric Felten, writing for the Daily Beast, has stumbled upon the worst-kept secret in the liquor
industry: much of the craft whiskey, especially rye, that commands high prices comes from a
giant, intensely ugly building ten miles west of the Cincinnati airport. Cue the clutching of pearls,
the shattering of dropped tulip glasses, the rending of lapels, the wailing of women. How could
we all fall for this?
US bar culture of 'buy backs' labelled irresponsible
The American bar culture of "buy backs" has been slammed as "bad practice" and irresponsible
by industry experts.
Hamilton's Tavern Owner Talks Rotating Handles and Purchasing Habits
We learned a valuable lesson during our recent Brew Talks event in San Diego: if you give three
bar owners enough beer and ask them about the local beer scene, duck and cover.
Beverage Media Group Forms Partnership with BinWise to Automate Online Ordering for
Restaurants
BinWise, Inc., the leading cloud-based software management tool for beverage programs, has
formed a strategic alliance with Beverage Media Group,
Amazon Appears Ready for Stealth Launch of Fire OS Credit Card Reader
According to data obtained by 9 to 5 Mac from sources close to Staples, Inc. (SPLS),
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is preparing to launch a small electronic credit card reader, which will
interface with its best-selling Kindle Fire tablets, Fire Phone, and other platforms (possibly
Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Android and Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL) iOS).
Vine Notes: Wine, beer, spirits groups benefit from sharing stories
Most who enjoy adult beverages don't confine themselves to one particular type of drink. A craft
beer or hard cider on a hot day, cocktails on Friday evening with friends and a fine wine with
dinner at a good restaurant all have their place in contemporary lifestyles.
Where the biggest beer, wine, and liquor drinkers live in the U.S.
America's thirst for alcohol might know no boundaries, but certain parts of the country do seem
especially parched. No state handles its alcohol quite like New Hampshire, according to per
capita consumption data shared by the Beer Institute. The libertarian New England state guzzles
down more booze per person-some 40.8 gallons per year-than any other U.S. state, by The Beer
Institute's estimates. In fact, it's not even all that close. Next in line are North Dakota, Montana,
Nevada, and Vermont, which sip on just under 35, 34, 33, and 32 gallons per person, per year,
respectively.
Liquor Of Legend: The Distillery Behind Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Blanton's--And Pappy Van
Winkle
When the Sazerac Co. bought a run-down whiskey factory on the banks of the Kentucky River in
1992, it renovated the compound and rechristened it Buffalo Trace Distillery, after the trails cut
into the countryside by bison centuries ago. Yet the name change prompted a question as
predictable as the ancient buffalo's migration: Why wasn't there a bourbon actually called
Buffalo Trace? Customers walked away baffled. Sazerac clearly had misjudged its audience.
Walmart's policy on alcohol sales being criticized
A mother is upset with Walmart on how the staff deals with selling alcohol to adults with minors
present. Julie Lauridsen tried to purchase some alcoholic beverages from the Walmart in West
Des Moines, but the cashier denied her.
Why Is Craft Beer So Expensive? Blame it on Hops
If you've ever wondered why craft beer is so expensive, the hop flower - perhaps never more in
demand by artisanal brewers than it is today - is a big reason why. There just aren't enough of
them out there - which is why Greenville, South Carolina, brewers like Brewery 85's Will
McCameron finds himself scouring for hops, if he hasn't already locked himself into multiyear
contracts with West Coast growers.
When It's Hot Out, Don't Choose Between Beer and Lemonade-Drink a Shandy
Bon Appetit magazine highlights different shandies that are great to sip on during hot summer
days.
Brewers Urged to Experiment as US Consumers Identify With Brand, Style
New research suggests drinking craft beer is a "lifestyle choice" for younger US consumers, with
two-thirds claiming that both brand and beer style reflects who they are.
Warming Up to Wines on Tap
Ten years ago, Todd Rushing's peers questioned his notion to tap wine from a keg at TWO urban
licks, the restaurant he owns in Atlanta. "Everybody thought I was nuts," Rushing says. "There's
still romanticism of wine. There's the idea of the white-gloved server who shows you the bottle,
but what do you do with the bottle once it's empty? The beer group got it right a long time ago."
Why Tequila Deserves Way More Respect Than It Gets
The U.S. may have celebrated National Tequila Day last week, but really any day is a good day to
enjoy what may well be the finest spirit the Americas has to offer. While drinkers in the U.S. are
getting more interested in the distillate of blue agave, it's clear that tequila doesn't quite enjoy
the same golden reputation as the world's other fine, barrel aged-spirits, like Scotch, cognac or
even the more humble bourbon.