Permit Beer
A request for equal economic opportunity.
Victory!
Success! House Bill 1595 is now law! Many thanks to all our brewery, wholesale, and retail supporters.
The permits are now available. Contact the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Commission for more information.
We encourage you to review this site for a historical review of the issue.
The Issue
North Carolina’s winery special event permit (G.S. 18B-1114.1) allows North Carolina wineries to provide sample tastings of wine and sell wine by the glass or by the bottle at a wide range of special events: trade shows, conventions, festivals, shopping malls, agricultural festivals, balloon races, and local fund-raisers.
With a wine tasting permit (G.S. 18B-1001.15), retailers and winery representatives can conduct free wine tastings.
These two permits are a major promotional and economic boost to North Carolina’s 80 wineries, now a nearly $1 billion industry.
With its 20 craft breweries and 20 brewpubs, North Carolina is now a highly-respected state for specialty beer. However, the state’s nascent craft beer industry does not have the promotional rights or visibility granted to the state’s wineries. A retailer can offer wine (but not beer) samples; a farmer’s market is a venue for wine tastings and sales — but not beer.We, the North Carolina craft brewers, simply seek the mirrored equivalent of the winery special event permit and the wine tasting permit: a malt beverage special event permit and a malt beverage tasting permit to allow the state’s artisan breweries the same rights and opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and in-state spending.
Special events
With a one-time fee of $200 to the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control (NC ABC) and at least a week’s notification prior to each special event, a North Carolina winery can promote and sell its products directly to consumers at:
- trade shows,
- conventions,
- shopping malls,
- wine festivals,
- street festivals,
- holiday festivals,
- agricultural festivals,
- balloon races,
- local fund-raisers, and
- other similar events approved by the Commission.
This right is the Winery Special Event Permit, available to only North Carolina wineries. North Carolina breweries do not have this opportunity.
Tastings
With a one-time fee of $100 to the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control (NC ABC), a North Carolina retailer can pour wine samples. Winery and/or wholesaler representatives can be present to assist in the wine sampling.
North Carolina retailers with an off-premises permit can serve wine but not beer.
Extending the permits
North Carolina craft breweries deserve the same economic rights and promotional opportunities afforded the state’s great wineries. Especially in this current economic climate.
With 20 production breweries and 20 brewpubs, North Carolina has the most breweries of any state in the South. It’s a growing industry — but one that could have so much more success with an extension of a Malt Beverate Tasting Permit and a Malt Beverage Special Event Permit.
Just the winery special event and tasting permits benefit the wine industry and state tourism, comparable brewery permits will likely:
- generate new jobs — something sorely needed in the current recessionary climate,
- lead to local breweries expanding operations,
- increase tourism revenue,
- keep more revenue in-state supporting local businesses, and
- further cement North Carolina’s reputation as a leading state for specialty beer.
What you can do
Breweries: send us an email in support of the measure. (or email us with any questions)
North Carolina legislators: thank you for your service to our great state. North Carolina is becoming renowned for its quality craft beer, yet many North Carolinians aren’t aware of the high quality beer produced in the Old North State. In fact, only around 1 percent of all beer consumed in North Carolina is brewed by an in-state brewer.
A brewery special event permit can help boost awareness of the great breweries in North Carolina, and help these small businesses thrive in a time when economic growth is difficult to come by.
All we are asking is for the same rights the legislature extends to North Carolina wineries: for local craft breweries to have the same opportunity for economic expansion and job creation.
Please vote in support of a Brewery Special Event Permit.
Who we are
Permitbeer.com is a coalition of North Carolina craft breweries that seek an opportunity for economic growth, new job creation, and increased visibility. Click here for a complete list of in-state supporters.
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