Bill Text: CT HB07072 | 2017 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Establishing A Farm Distillery Manufacturer Permit.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Passed) 2017-07-11 - Signed by the Governor [HB07072 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2017-HB07072-Chaptered.html
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FARM DISTILLERY MANUFACTURER PERMIT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 30-16 of the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (h) as follows (Effective October 1, 2017):
(NEW) (h) (1) A manufacturer permit for a farm distillery shall be in all respects the same as a manufacturer permit, except that the scope of operations of the holder shall be limited to the production of not more than ten thousand gallons per calendar year of distilled alcohol or spirits including, but not limited to, whiskey, gin, vodka and rum. As used in this section, "farm distillery" means any place or premises that is located on a farm in the state in which distilled spirits or alcohol are manufactured and sold.
(2) Such permit shall, at the single principal premises of the farm distillery, authorize (A) the sale in bulk by the holder thereof from the premises where the products are manufactured pursuant to such permit; (B) the sale and shipment by the holder thereof to a retailer of distilled alcohol or spirits manufactured by the farm distillery permittee in the original sealed containers of not more than fifteen gallons per container; (C) the offering and tasting of free samples of such distilled alcohol or spirits, in amounts not to exceed two ounces per day per person, to visitors and prospective retail customers for consumption on the premises of the farm distillery permittee; and (D) the sale at retail from the premises of sealed bottles or other sealed containers, in amounts not to exceed four and one-half liters per customer per day, of such distilled alcohol or spirits for consumption off the premises. Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (C) and (D) of this subdivision, a town may, by ordinance or zoning regulation, prohibit any such offering, tasting or selling at retail at premises within such town for which a manufacturer permit for a farm distillery has been issued.
(3) No licensed farm distillery may sell any such distilled alcohol or spirits not manufactured by such distillery.
(4) The farm distillery permittee shall grow on the premises of the farm distillery or on property under the same ownership and control of said permittee or leased by the backer of a farm distillery permit or by said permittee within the farm distillery's principal state an average crop of fruit or crops equal to not less than twenty-five per cent of the fruit or crops used in the manufacture of the farm distillery permittee's distilled alcohol or spirits. An average crop shall be defined each year as the average yield of the farm distillery permittee's two largest annual crops out of the preceding five years. In the event the farm distillery consists of more than one property, the aggregate acreage of the farm distillery shall not be less than five acres.
(5) The annual fee for a manufacturer permit for a farm distillery shall be three hundred dollars.
Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 30-91 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2017):
(d) The sale or dispensing of alcoholic liquor in places operating under package store permits, drug store permits, manufacturer permits for beer, manufacturer permits for beer and brew pubs, manufacturer permits for farm distilleries or grocery store beer permits shall be unlawful on Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Day or Christmas; and such sale or dispensing of alcoholic liquor in places operating under package store permits, drug store permits, manufacturer permits for beer, manufacturer permits for beer and brew pubs, manufacturer permits for farm distilleries and grocery store beer permits shall be unlawful on Sunday before ten o'clock a. m. and after six o'clock p. m. and on any other day before eight o'clock a. m. and after ten o'clock p. m. It shall be unlawful for the holder of a manufacturer permit for a brew pub to sell beer for consumption off the premises on the days or hours prohibited by this subsection. Any town may, by a vote of a town meeting or by ordinance, reduce the number of hours during which such sale shall be permissible.