Cannabis legalization is turning conventional wisdom on its head

By |2020-04-13T20:45:04+00:00May 1st, 2019|Cannabis Issues|

Conventional wisdom tells you it should be so easy! Three states with Democratic Governors want to legalize cannabis and in all three states the governors have Democrat supermajorities in both houses of the legislature. Nevertheless, even with these built in advantages, the cannabis legalization bandwagon has screeched to a grinding halt. In Illinois, New Jersey […]

For Constellation which way is up?

By |2019-04-24T23:47:48+00:00April 24th, 2019|Liquor Industry Insights|

 

I previously wrote a post on how Miller has no home run hitter in its craft beer space. I contrasted Miller with Budweiser that has Goose Island, Heineken that has Lagunitas, and Constellation that has Ballast Point. https://irishliquorlawyer.com/millercoors-craft-portfolio-will-its-field-of-dreams-come-true-or-will-it-need-to-find-a-home-run-from-somehwere-else/

Like baseball free agency, sometimes a big spend turns into a flop. In 2015 Constellation paid $1 […]

Are Crafts looking to kill the pubs in Illinois?

By |2020-04-13T20:45:04+00:00April 8th, 2019|Legislation, Liquor Industry Insights|

 

There is a theory out there, that is actually backed up by statistics, that the presence of craft brewers is hurting bars and taverns. An article on this subject cites Bureau of Labor statistics that the number of “on-premise drinking establishments have decreased by 6.3% since 2010.[1]

Bar/tavern owners are starting to take notice […]

TTB finally goes big time

By |2020-04-13T20:45:24+00:00April 3rd, 2019|Breaking News|

The TTB has finally caught the big fish. The TTB announced that it accepted a $2.5 million offer in compromise from Heineken.

The TTB alleged that Heineken offered BrewLock draft systems at no charge, these systems are developed by Heineken and only work with kegs from Heineken. Because of the nature of the system, retailers were […]

Missouri wine shipping case has no flair for the dramatic

By |2020-04-13T21:11:04+00:00April 1st, 2019|Liquor Case Discussion, Liquor Industry Insights|

 

In an unsurprising decision the Eastern District of Missouri ruled that a challenge to Missouri’s ban on out-of-state wine retailers shipping to customers within the state, failed to state a claim on which relief could be granted and dismissed the challenge. Sarasota Wine Market v. Parson, Case No. 4:17CV2792 HEA (Eastern District of Missouri, March […]

The Million-Dollar Question for Wine Shipping

By |2020-04-13T20:45:24+00:00March 24th, 2019|Liquor Case Discussion, Liquor Industry Insights|

There is a great buzz going around about the U.S. Supreme Court’s Tennessee Wine case and whether this case will decide if Granholm extends to retailer, and hence deems laws banning wine retailer shipping as unconstitutional.

Even if the Supreme Court remains silent on the specific issue, many lower federal courts and even state courts may […]

Could wineries and wine retailers become unknowingly subject to tax?

By |2019-03-10T21:46:27+00:00March 10th, 2019|Liquor Industry Insights|

 

The Wayfair decision recently changed whether a state could impose sales tax on an out-of-state company that has no physical presence in the state. Many wineries and wine retailers (those that are eligible to ship legally into a state) may need to change their behavior. Depending on whether they meet certain sales thresholds or enter […]

Proposed Illinois Liquor Legislation

By |2020-04-13T21:10:21+00:00March 3rd, 2019|Legislation, Liquor Industry Insights|

 

Introduction to Proposed Illinois Legislation

Included are the vast majority of Illinois liquor bills so far introduced this session.

The craft distillers are busy! They are requesting full retail privileges, self-distribution privileges, increases in the amount they can serve in their tasting rooms, and up to 500,000 gallons in storage capacity.

This last number seems […]

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