High ABV Beer at Utah Beer Fesivals

As I stated in the blog this morning, there is a loophole that allows for high ABV beer to be poured from bottles at public gatherings just as it's done with wine at wineries at other wine related functions.

Is this a misinterpretation of the ordinance that allows for wine or is it the real deal?

Could we be on the verge of having beer festivals in Utah that other states would want to participate in?

Wow, this is interesting. The double standard for beer is obvious, but I guess this might work out. Epic wouldn't have agreed to come without knowing they were legal.

I am actually trying to get this in writing from the DABC. With this new interpretation of the laws we can now pour some of our giant barley wines and other large beers by the glass. Of course we couldn't do this with all our beers (imagine 270 open bottles!) but with a few choice beers this could really help us out.

Mark Alston
The Bayou

beernut wrote:

I am actually trying to get this in writing from the DABC. With this new interpretation of the laws we can now pour some of our giant barley wines and other large beers by the glass. Of course we couldn't do this with all our beers (imagine 270 open bottles!) but with a few choice beers this could really help us out.

Mark Alston
The Bayou

I think you may have just given the entire DABC a massive migraine. I imagine it will take them six months to dicide against it. I'll light a candle for you.

After being burned by the DABC telling me we could do something before and then busting us for it I tend to be fairly cautious dealing with their rules. Verbally pretty much all the compliance officers confirmed that they say it is ok to sell by the glass. That's not what the law says though. One silly word.

The current law regarding heavy beer says "served in the original container." They are now saying that means "served from the original container."

If I were Epic I would have gotten it in writing. There are a few beer industry folks, who just love clamping down on anyone getting away with something new, that could really ruin it for them fast.

So can wine be sold just as a glass out of a bottle? I doubt you always have to buy the bottle right?

That's right. Wine specifically has a clause allowing for the sale of wine either by the glass or by the bottle. Beer has no "by the glass" clause. For beer the law/rules say "in the original container." Doesn't make any logical sense why wine but not beer but logic is not part of the DABC mission statement.

It does look likely that they are changing the meaning of that but I'm not getting too excited yet.

Mark

Well, Epic did indeed pour their beer at Snowbird. BTW, I love the location and I love beer, but it was ridiculous. The lines for a beer were easily 15-20 minutes at times. I know that much earlier it was probably better, but no way should Snowbird have longer lines than GABF. The planners need to have more booths, more beer and more space. It is obviously a money maker.

douglas88 wrote:

Well, Epic did indeed pour their beer at Snowbird

Yep. So far so good. I currently have my DABC compliance officer working on getting a letter from the DABC attorneys declaring it officially o.k. to sell heavy beer by the glass. As soon as we get that letter we are planning on having semi regular barley wine and Belgian "fests" where we sell about a dozen or so beers by the glass for a night.

Re. the fest, I can tell you that at least one other Utah brewery was fairly bent that they weren't asked/allowed to sell their big beers (as I would be in their situation).

Mark

That was the oddest thing. Why were two other breweries not allowed to pour and Epic was? Weird.

That was Snowbird's call to have only one brewery pour their bigger stuff. I'm sure they just didn't want to deal with the last minute requests.

I'm not sure if I understand how Snowbird decides which beers can and can't be served. Of course, it's their party etc.

douglas88 wrote:

I'm not sure if I understand how Snowbird decides which beers can and can't be served. Of course, it's their party etc.

You answered your own question, it's their party. The festivals buy all the beer before hand from the breweries. They decide what is served.