The newly passed farmers’ market permit for beer manufacturers is getting an early renovation.  While wine growers were already allowed to offer instructional tastings at farmers’ market, beer manufacturers were previously denied the privilege.  This bill rectifies the disparity and enables a beer manufacturer with a farmers’ market permit to not only sell packaged beer but also to conduct instructional tastings, so long as the area used is separated from the remainder of the market by a permanent or temporary barrier of some form. Such tastings will obviously be subject to the managerial control of the organization operating the farmers’ market, and only one beer manufacturer may host such a tasting event at any given farmers’ market.

This same bill also updates the privileges associated with non-profit organizations. Much like the farmers’ market tastings, wineries have long been able to donate wine to specific types of non-profit organizations, so long as the non-profit had applied for the appropriate license.  Once the non-profit obtains the license, it can sell any donated or purchased wine.  Now, beer manufacturers will enjoy those same privileges. A brewery may donate or sell beer to a non-profit organization if it has applied for the special temporary on-sale or off-sale license.  Note, however, that if the non-profit is going to use that license for a period of two or more days, any bottles of beer (or wine) donated or sold to it must be used at an “identifiable fundraising event” sponsored or conducted by the non-profit organization, and the labels of that beer and wine must “prominently identify the event.”