Omnibus legislation related to alcoholic beverages is headed to the full Kentucky Senate. The measure, which contains provisions related to bourbon, beer, and wine businesses, came out of a committee Tuesday. It allows for increasing the distillery souvenir shop sale of bourbon from four to twelve bottles. Jason Underwood with Buffalo Trace Distillery favors keeping the current standard, “If someone just wants to buy a case and they never visit of the retail stores, well they’re not gonna find any of our other products.” “Nor will they find the other products of the other distillers in Kentucky,” continued Underwood.
The alcohol beverage bill also allows for expanded production for small farm wineries and microbreweries. It would allow microbreweries to increase their annual beer production from 25,000 barrels to 50,000. Adam Watson is president of the Kentucky Guild of Brewers. “If we reach the current barrel cap of 25 thousand, would be forced to either stop producing or close down our tap rooms, neither of which is a sensible decision to have to make,” Watson said.
Bill Sponsor John Schickel says there was one “No” vote in committee. He indicates the bill could come up for a vote before the full senate on Thursday.?
