Alcoholic beverages: beer returns.

Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which is administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, allows a wholesaler or manufacturer of beer to accept the return of a beer from a retail licensee under specified conditions. In this regard, existing law allows, with department approval, a wholesaler or manufacturer, or a successor, to accept the return of a seasonal brand of beer from a retail licensee if the beer is exchanged for a quantity of beer of a brand produced or sold by the same manufacturer with a value no greater than the original sales price to the retail licensee of the returned beer. This bill would instead allow, with department approval, a wholesaler or manufacturer, or a successor, to accept the return of a seasonal brand of beer from a retail licensee if the beer is exchanged for a quantity of beer of similar quality of a brand produced or sold by the same manufacturer, or of another manufacturer if the original manufacturer has ceased doing business, with a value no greater than the original sales price to the retail licensee of the returned beer.