Bottoms up! Changes to the state”™s alcohol law passed earlier this month will allow restaurants to serve alcohol earlier on Sundays.
The so-called “Brunch Bill” will allow restaurants that offer Sunday brunch to serve alcohol starting at 10 a.m. The previous state Alcohol Beverage Control Law outlawed the sale of beers, wine and spirits before noon.
“Fans of brunch, soccer, football, holidays and all things Sunday-funday can now raise a glass to thank the governor, Senate and Assembly for their agreement to allow alcohol service starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings,” Melissa Fleischut, president of the New York State Restaurant Association, said in a statement.
But while the alliterative title “brunch bill” stuck to the changes in the state”™s ABC laws, the changes go beyond dictating how early people can legally use beer to wash down their eggs Benedict.
The law also streamlines the licensing process for craft beverage producers. If a person is looking to launch a winery, but also plans to distill whiskey, he or she will now only have to apply for one license. Previously, separate applications had to be filled for breweries, wineries and distilleries.
The old requirements could make things complicated for a place like Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery. The Orange County business produces wines and gin as Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, cider as Doc”™s Hard Cider and bourbon and brandy through the Black Dirt Distillery brand.
While co-owner Jeremy Kidde said the change won”™t affect his already-licensed business, he thinks it will be great for helping new businesses get through what he said was a difficult licensing process.
Other changes that will come from the law:
- Customers can fill growlers at wineries, allowing wineries to offer their product on tap.
- Didn”™t finish the bottle you purchased at the winery? That”™s OK. Changes to the law now allow customers to leave wineries with open bottles.
- A craft beverage sales staff should be cheaper to grow. State law currently requires a salesperson employed by a manufacturer obtain a solicitor”™s permit, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo acknowledged can impose financial hardship. The agreement eliminates the fee for a solicitor”™s permit for craft manufacturers.
- Finally, consumers no longer need to stop somewhere else to have their gift bottle of wine wrapped. The ABC laws will be amended to allow liquor stores to sell gift wrapping and gift bags directly to customers.
The changes were brought after Cuomo convened a panel to review the laws and consider changes. Cuomo referred to the former ABC laws as “archaic.”
To Laurence Gottlieb, president and CEO of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp., the changes represent recognition of a growing craft beverage industry in the state. The HVEDC runs the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance, an industry group dedicated to promoting food and drink production in the region.
While Gottlieb said the bill may not have huge changes, they do address needs of the producers to keep growing.
“We”™ve seen explosive growth of craft breweries, cideries, distilleries and wineries,” Gottlieb said. “And when you see explosive growth, you just want to add accelerant to it.”
