LICENSING1
Do I need a mead maker’s license?
If you are manufacturing mead or braggot in New York State for resale, you must be licensed by the State Liquor Authority (SLA) as well as have a permit through the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).2 https://www.ttb.gov/wine.
Can I be a licensed mead maker in New York State?
Statutory Disqualifiers
The following are the five categories of person who cannot hold an SLA license:
- persons who have been convicted of any felony, or promoting or permitting prostitution, or sale of liquor without an alcoholic beverage license;3
- persons under the age of 21;
- persons who are not a United State citizen, an alien admitted to the United State for permanent lawful residence, or a citizen of a reciprocal trade nation (see SLA Advisory #2015-21);
- persons whose alcoholic beverage license was revoked for cause within the past 2 years;
- persons who are police officers/police officials.
Tied House
Additionally, the “tied house law” prohibits any person who holds a direct or indirect interest in any retail establishment selling alcoholic beverages (whether in New York State, another state, or abroad) from holding a mead maker’s license (or any other manufacturing or wholesaling license) in New York State.4
Must I have my own meadery to be licensed?
In order to be licensed as a mead maker in New York State, you must actually produce mead and/or braggot (not just contract out production) and have your own facility or have a tenancy at the facility of another where such production occurs.
Tenant manufacturing and alternating proprietorships
Tenant manufacturing otherwise known as alternating proprietorship is permissible in New York. In such an arrangement, two or more licensees share the same facility with all the same rights and responsibilities with regard to the premises. Each manufacturer must themselves produce the annual statutory minimum amount of product at the facility. Under such an arrangement, overhead can be reduced, as costs can be shared.
Unlicensed Brand Owners
An unlicensed person/entity in New York may not contract with a licensed mead maker to have a product made that the unlicensed person/entity would own the brand of and/or participate in the resale of.
Mead Producers’ License – a mead producer may produce mead and/or braggot, has no cap on production volume, and no New York State ingredient requirements as to its products. A mead producer has no retail privileges. Initial application cost is $906.25 for a 36-month license.
Farm Meadery License – a farm meadery may produce mead and/or braggot, has a 250,000 gallon limit on annual production, and must use 100% New York State honey. A farm meadery may sell its own mead and braggot and any other New York State labeled products (beer, cider, wine, mead, liquor) at the licensed premises and to go. A farm meadery need not be located on a farm. Initial application cost is $703.75 for a 36-month license.
What steps should I take before applying?
If time is of the essence in beginning production and opening your doors (and we know it usually is), you should first check with SLA to understand processing times and to be able to plan accordingly. Email [email protected]. Additionally, you should apply for your permit with TTB as soon as possible. Lastly, before applying you should get a filing receipt from the Secretary of State after registering your corporation or LLC or obtain a business certificate from your county clerk for your sole proprietorship or partnership.
Where do I find the mead maker’s application?
From our homepage: www.sla.ny.gov, visit Licenses -- Get a License. From there you will find the Application Wizard, which will guide you to the correct application.
What must I submit with my license application?
Once you have downloaded (or emailed yourself) the correct application and instructions, you will also be given a checklist of all necessary items and a coversheet including the correct amount to submit along with the application.
Is a temporary operating permit available while my application is pending review?
Yes. The Temporary Operating Permit Application for Manufacturers should be used by applicants to obtain a permit to operate while the application is pending.
Where do I find the temporary retail permit application?
From our homepage: www.sla.ny.gov, visit Forms Quick Find in the footer. Use the search function to find the application. Please include the temporary permit application with your main license application.
When can I start making mead and braggot?
Once you’ve received approval of your application and your license certificate. A conditional approval is not sufficient – as you must meet the conditions set forth before final approval may be granted.
PRIVILEGES
What products can I manufacture at my Meadery?
A mead producer may produce mead and braggot.
A farm meadery may produce New York State labeled mead and New York State labeled braggot.
Can I distribute my own products to licensed retailers?
All manufacturing licenses come with the right to self-distribution.
Can I distribute my own products out of state?
Terms of sales and distribution out of state are governed by the laws of the importing jurisdiction.
Can I sell my own products for consumption at my meadery? Other manufacturer’s products?
A mead producer has no retail privileges and cannot sell direct to consumers.
A farm meadery may sell for consumption at the licensed premises:
- any mead or braggot it makes as well as
- any other New York State labeled product (beer, wine, cider, mead, liquor).
Must I serve food?
If you are selling alcoholic beverages for on premises consumption, you must make food available. A diversified selection of finger foods, such as cheeses, fruits, and crackers is sufficient. This applies to farm meaderies, as the only mead making license that can sell alcoholic beverages at retail.
Can I sell other items at my meadery?
A mead producer may not sell other items.
A farm meadery may sell other items such as food, mead and braggot supplies, souvenirs, etc. See §31 (7) of the ABC Law for a complete list.
Can I obtain an on premises license at the meadery to sell all types of alcoholic beverages?
A mead producer may not apply for an on premises license.
A farm meadery may apply separately for an on premises license which permits the sale of any type of alcoholic beverage (i.e., not strictly New York State labeled products). Please note the food requirement at an on premises establishment is greater than that noted above and requires soups, sandwiches and the like for a tavern, a menu containing full entrees for a restaurant, etc.
Can I sell my products to go from the meadery? Other manufacturer’s products?
A mead producer has no retail privileges and cannot sell direct to consumers.
A farm meadery may sell for consumption off the licensed premises:
- any product it produces as well as
- any New York State labeled product (beer, wine, cider, mead, liquor).
Can I sell on the internet?
Sales made under a manufacturing license must take place in person at the licensed premises.
What is a branch office?
A branch office is a privilege of a farm meadery and is an off-site location at which all activities of the licensed premises may be carried out (production, product sale, on premises license, etc.). A farm meadery is entitled to five branch office permits. There is no fee required to obtain a branch office permit.
COMPLIANCE
How much mead and braggot must I produce?
At the licensed facility, you must produce at least 50 gallons of mead and/or braggot annually. You cannot rely on a contract manufacturer to produce the annual production minimum for you. If you are producing at a branch office as well as your licensed facility, you will still need to produce at least 50 gallons at the licensed facility.
Can I contract manufacture for another manufacturer?
Yes, you may contract to produce for another manufacturer any product that both you and the other manufacturer may produce. If in New York State, the other manufacturer must also be licensed. Any product you produce for another manufacturer will count against your production cap (if you have one) and any product purchased by another licensed New York State manufacturer will also count against its cap (if it has one).
Can I contract manufacture for an unlicensed entity?
Not if the other entity is in New York State.
Must I register the brand labels for all of my products?
You must register the brand labels for all of your products before selling them – this is in addition to obtaining a TTB COLA. Many of the small production lines will be no fee,5 but still require registration.
Selling product which is not labeled is a health and safety issue and is against the law.
Must I serve food if I am serving alcoholic beverages?
Yes, see above for standards.
Can I employ someone who has been convicted of a felony?
Not unless (1) that person has received a pardon or certificate of good conduct or other relief from disabilities or (2) specific approval has been granted by the SLA.
Can another business entity operate on my licensed premises, e.g. a food truck?
For farm manufacturers, yes, provided the other business (e.g., food truck, food concessionaire, etc.) does not hold a retail license. Please note that a food truck (or any other business) may operate on any part of your property that is not licensed (e.g., a parking lot or field).
Is another manufacturer considered a second business?
No, multiple manufacturers may operate at the same premises – see alternating proprietorships/tenant manufacturing above.
One entity may also hold more than one license at a single premises – e.g., a farm meadery and a farm cidery.
Can I sell other items at my meadery, e.g., t-shirts, foods, etc.?
Only a farm meadery may, see ABC Law §31 (7) for what items are permissible.
Must I notify the Authority before making a change in ownership?
Yes, if you plan to take on or remove owners/investors, change shares of ownership, or appoint or remove officers/directors/members, before making those changes, you must submit and wait for the approval of a corporate change application. A corporate change application can be found here.
Are there any exceptions?
Yes, where a corporation/LLC or has 10 or more stockholders/members and a change involves less than 10% of the stock holdings/ownership of the corporation/LLC and no stockholders/members total holdings/ownership are increased to 10% or more.
Must I notify the Authority before I make changes to the premises?
Yes, any significant change requires the filing of an alteration application before renovations begin. The form may be found here. A significant change includes:
- Any enlargement or contraction of the premises
- Any physical change that reduces visibility
- Any other change that materially affects the character of the premises
Must I notify the Authority about minor changes?
Yes, you must file an affidavit request for any change costing less than $10,000 which does not affect the character or structure of the premises. If the request is not denied within 20 days, it is deemed approved on the 25th day from after filing.
How do I notify the Authority of minor changes in the business?
An endorsement application, found here, is used for minor changes such as the following:
- Name or Address corrections on the license certificate
- Court appointments of representative
- Dissolution of partnership or addition of partner
- Principal name changes due to marriage or divorce
- Amendment to the corporate name of the licensed premises when there is no change in ownership or corporate entity.
1 Note that in addition to the licenses described in this reference, mead may also be produced under the various types of winery licenses.
2 Mead manufactured for personal consumption and not sold commercially does not require licensure. Check with TTB for limits.
3 The ABC Law provides that a pardon, certificate of good conduct, or a certificate of relief from disabilities may be obtained to allow a person convicted of a disqualifying crime to hold a license.
4 Note that a restaurant brewer license is not a brewing license, it is a retail license, and cannot be held along with a mead maker’s license.
5 Mead produced in quantities of less than 1500 gallon per year have no registration fee, but must still be registered.