Alcoholic beverage licensees: instructional tastings: craft distillers.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act contains various provisions regulating the application for, the issuance of, the suspension of, and the conditions imposed upon, alcoholic beverage licenses by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Existing law authorizes the department to issue to the holder of any off-sale retail license an instructional tasting license that permits the licenseholder to allow an authorized licensee, as defined, or designated representative of that licensee, to conduct, on a designated portion of, or contiguous to, an existing licensed premises, an instructional tasting event at which tastes of alcoholic beverages may be served to consumers, as provided. This bill would include craft distillers in the definition of authorized licensees for the purpose of the above authorization. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act permits an authorized licensee, as defined, or its authorized agent, to instruct consumers at an on-sale retail licensed premises authorized to sell its product on the subject of wine or distilled spirits, including, but not limited to, the history, nature, values, and characteristics of those beverages, as provided. Existing law authorizes the instruction to include tastings of wine or distilled spirits, subject to limitations on the amounts that may be provided to the consumers. This bill would include a craft distiller in the definition of an authorized licensee for the purpose of the above authorization. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 25503.56 and 25503.57 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by AB 2452 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2452 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.