"Starting Oct.1, local distilleries can begin
selling their spirits to tourists who visit their sites. This is a major shift
from the previous law which had restricted the sale of bottled liquor to ABC stores.
“This is a big step for our state’s
26 craft distillers,” said Scott Maitland, president of the Distillers
Association of North Carolina. “The new law will help distilleries build brand
awareness and lead to increased sales.”
Under the law, distilleries are
allowed to sell one bottle of distilled spirits per person per 12-month period.
This is the first time in more than 100 years that a commercial enterprise has
been allowed to sell bottled liquor outside of an ABC store in North Carolina. Joe
Tappe, distiller at Broad Branch Distillery in Winston Salem, says this is a
great opportunity to increase tourism revenue at their distillery.
“Too often, we have guests visit our
facility while on vacation, and they are looking for a bottle to take home,”
said Tappe. “The new rule will help us capitalize on that interest, so we don’t
miss out on a potential sale. It also will give our guests a great souvenir of
their experience.”
The Distillers Association of
North Carolina is welcoming in the new law on social media with the hashtag,
#Buy1Oct1. Fans and followers can use the hashtag to find tastings, tours and
special events from local distillers leading up to the October 1 celebration.
Many distillers will be holding special events on October 1, and some are using
the date as their grand opening.
In addition, the association will
launch a new passport program to encourage tourists to visit local distillers.
A collector’s edition of the passport will be available at participating
distilleries in October. Tourists can collect unique stamps at each location
they visit along the way. A custom website and “Visit NC
Spirits” mobile app are also in the works.
Many
North Carolina distillers are working with local farmers to source traditional
grains such as barley, corn, rye and wheat. From soil to spirits, they are also
finding new uses for locally grown produce, such as sweet potatoes, apples and
peaches. More information about the state’s craft
distillery industry is available on the Distillers Association of North
Carolina website at www. DistillersAssociationofNC.org.
About Broad Branch: www.broadbranchdistillery.com
Broad Branch mills, mashes and distill with Blue Ridge artesian well water, Ashe
county corn, hops, rye and NC grown and malted barley. Each distillation
journey begins on site in an old tobacco warehouse on historic Trade St. in
downtown Winston Salem and ends with grain to glass hand crafted taste. Broad Branch is located at 756 N. Trade Street
in Winston Salem. Tours are available by appointment by calling 336-602-2824 or
emailing info@broadbranchdistillery.com"
- A Press Release
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