AB 886

This bill allows a person that operates a brewery and a winery to sell, and

provide free taste samples of, the winery's cider at the brewery and the brewer's other

retail outlet.

Under current law, alcohol beverages are generally distributed to consumers

under a three-tier distribution system: the producer sells to a wholesaler; the

wholesaler sells to a retailer; and the retailer sells to a consumer. With specific

exceptions, no person may sell outside the three-tier system and no person may sell

alcohol beverages to a consumer unless the seller possesses a license or permit

authorizing the sale.

Also under current law, the Department of Revenue issues permits to producers

of alcohol beverages. A brewer's permit authorizes a brewer to, among other

activities, manufacture fermented malt beverages (beer) and sell at retail, without

a retail license, the brewer's own beer and certain other Wisconsin-made beer at the

brewery premises and at one off-site retail outlet of the brewer. The brewer may also

provide free taste samples of beer at these locations. A winery permit authorizes the

winery to, among other activities, manufacture wine, including cider. A winery may

also hold one retail license and sell its wine at this licensed location without the wine

first passing through a wholesaler.

Under this bill, if a person holds both a winery permit and a brewer's permit,

the permittee may sell its own cider at retail, without a retail license, at the brewery

premises and at the brewer's off-site retail outlet. The permittee may also provide

free taste samples of cider at these locations. For purposes of the bill, “cider" means

fermented apple or pear juice with an alcohol content not exceeding 7 percent alcohol

by volume. The permittee may provide the cider directly from the winery to the

brewery premises or brewer's off-site retail outlet without the cider first passing

through a wholesaler.