What Can You Do as a Craft Beverage Manufacturer?

Tastings at the Licensed Premises

All farm manufacturers can conduct tastings of all NYS labeled products (beer, wine, spirits, mead and cider) at their manufacturing facility or offsite tasting rooms. 

Micro breweries can conduct tastings of beer they manufacture and all NYS labeled beer.

Wineries can conduct tastings of wine they produce and all NYS labeled wine. 

Cider producers can conduct tastings of any NYS labeled cider.

Distilleries, micro distilleries, rectifiers and brandy producers are not permitted to conduct tastings.

Sales

Farm manufacturers can sell, by the bottle or by the glass, all NYS labeled products (beer, wine, spirits and cider) at their manufacturing facility or offsite tasting rooms.

Micro breweries can sell their own beer and all NYS labeled beer by the glass and by the bottle.

Wineries can sell wine they produce and all NYS labeled wine by the glass and by the bottle. Micro wineries can sell wine they produce and all NYS labeled wine and cider by the glass and by the bottle.

Cideries can sell cider they produce and all NYS labeled cider by the bottle with a permit.

Marketing Permits

With a Marketing Permit, craft manufacturers can conduct tastings and sell their products at locations off their licensed premises. 

A Marketing Permit can be used at an establishment licensed to sell the beverages that will be tasted (e.g. liquor stores), the State Fair, county fairs, farmers markers and charitable events. A Marketing Permit can also be used at other events including street fairs and festivals, provided the Authority is notified at least 15 days before the event.

Craft manufacturers must have food available for patrons if they offer tastings or sell by the glass at their establishment. However, craft manufacturers have lower food requirements than other on-premises licensees. While on-premises licensees must offer full menus or have full kitchens, craft manufacturers are only required to provide snacks, such as potato chips or pretzels, and can provide these snacks free of charge.

Craft manufacturers can obtain an on-premises license to sell other alcoholic beverages that are not included in their manufacturing license (for example, a micro brewery may also want to sell wine or spirits). If a craft manufacturer wishes to obtain an additional on-premises license, they only need to meet the 'tavern food' requirement, meaning they can offer soups, sandwiches and other easily prepared foods and do not have to have a full kitchen and menu.

In addition to operating a tasting room at the licensed premises, farm manufacturers can obtain a permit to open an off-site branch location, or tasting room, for no additional fees. At the tasting room, farm manufacturers can engage in any activities that can be conducted at the licensed premises, such as opening a restaurant, offering tastings, operating a gift shop and even manufacturing alcoholic beverages.

Farm breweries, farm wineries and farm cideries can open up to five offsite tasting rooms, and farm distilleries can operate one offsite tasting room. Multiple licensees can operate branch locations within the same enclosed area, sharing the same space.

Farm manufacturers are required to produce New York State labeled alcoholic beverages using a certain percentage of New York State ingredients.

Farm wineries must use 100% grapes or other fruit grown in New York State.  Farm wineries may also produce hard cider using 100% New York grown apples or other pome fruits.  Other wineries must use at least 75% state grown grapes or fruits to be designated a New York State labeled wine. 

Farm Distilleries are required to use at least 75% New York grown or produced fruits, vegetables, grain and grain products, honey, maple sap or other agricultural products. Farm distillery licensees may only produce New York State labeled liquor.

Farm Cideries are required to use 100% New York apples and other pome fruits. Farm cidery licensees may only produce New York State labeled cider.

Farm Breweries may produce beer containing at least 20% by weight New York State hops, and at least 20% by weight of all other ingredients (excluding water). On January 1, 2019 those percentages will increase to 60%, and on January 1, 2029 the percentages will increase to 90%. Farm brewery licensees may only produce New York State labeled beer and New York State labeled cider.

Farm Meaderies are required to use 100% New York produced honey in the production of mead and braggot. Farm meadery licensees may only produce New York State labeled mead.