Congratulations! Your craft brewery is doing well and you are poised for growth! It is important to remember, however, that growth entails change and both TTB and the NY State Liquor Authority require that changes to any of the information contained in your original Brewer’s Notice and state license application be reported and, in many […]
As any member of the New York State Brewers Association will know, Americans may be drinking less beer, but when they do, craft beer is increasingly their choice. The national Brewers Association’s data for 2013 (available here) show that while the overall beer market contracted by 1.9%, craft beer increased its market share to 7.8% with […]
The craft beer market has exploded recently and will continue to grow well into the future. Without knowing what specific challenges each brewery faces, it is difficult to address a ‘general issue”. Suffice to say, your suppliers need to get closer to you, their customer, and ensure they are working diligently to help keep you […]
“Growing Pains” As your business blossoms and demand for your products grow, you will, of necessity, consider moving from self-distribution to the use of full time beer distributors. Because of New York’s beer distribution Franchise Protection Law, you will need to give very careful consideration to your distribution choices as you expand. Once appointed, you […]
So you’ve got a brewery or you’re planning to start a brewery, what are the typical issues you worry about? Financing, federal and state licensing, recipe formulation, hop contracts, distribution, employees, mash pH, and a million other things. One issue that is frequently overlooked by both new and experienced brewers, however, is federal trademark registration. […]
According to the Brewer’s Association, in 1994 there were less than 200 microbreweries in the US. By the time 2012 rolled around there were over 1500. In 2013 alone, 300 microbreweries opened nationally. In 2011, New York State contained 75 microbreweries, and by 2013 was home to 165. That is over a 200% increase in […]
On Friday, November 14, Governor Cuomo signed into law the Craft New York Act, and opened new growth opportunities for New York producers of beer, wine, spirits and cider. The Act, which becomes effective December 14, 2014, cuts restrictions on producers and establishes a $3 million marketing fund for the promotion of craft beverages and […]
Following up on our last blog post PART I – “TRICK OR TREAT?” — REGULATORY INSPECTIONS, we want to highlight key points for how you can prepare for a regulatory inspection. Identify Response Person or Team: The person(s) should be familiar with response procedures and facility policies as well as the operations subject to the inspection […]
Did you know that EPA and OSHA inspectors are “cross-trained” to identify the other agency’s potential regulatory concerns? This is important because a client’s facility may have an OSHA inspection and, depending on the inspector’s observations, shortly thereafter the facility may also be the recipient of an EPA inspection or vice versa. In addition, these […]
Maybe you need a little extra help around the holidays, or maybe you want assistance from someone with a special skill or knowledge. How you classify such workers is just as important as the work they will provide to your business, as misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor (as opposed to an employee) can have […]