Wine Snobs Run My State Government!

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JayC

JayC

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So, like many a relatively inexperienced homebrewer that hates his day job, I've thought of going pro. I've also thought of becoming an astronaut, but that's besides the point.

I looked into what it takes to get licensed to open a brewery in the state of Ohio. Without even getting into the federal or local issues, a license to make and sell beer as a retailer 'for home use', to a retailer or to a wholesaler costs $3906. If I want to allow people to drink at my establishment (brewpub), then that costs another $3906.

If I want to open a winery, sell wine as a retailer, and allow people to partake of my wares on site, and sell to a wholesaler, that costs $76. If I want to sell directly to retailers, I need to pay for the supplemental license the brewers have to to allow them to operate as a brewpub for the same $3906.

I know there are several threads about ridiculous state laws regarding alcohol, but this one affects my ability to fantasize about quitting my day job, and as such is inexcusable.
 
You could move, but Ohio is the only state that is home to the Cleveland Indians!:rockin:
 
It is not wine snobs that run your state. More than likely those fees were a result of the lifting of prohibition, the decline of small local breweries and possibly other factors as well.

What type of legislation has the craft brewery association been working on in your state?

Maybe that would give you some insight as to who is in control.
 
In Oregon, the OLCC passed a regulation that restricted beer fests to 21 & above. Wino fests, you could bring the kids. After all, those drunks in the street aren't called winos for nothing.
 
Slightly off topic, but in Indiana it is legal to go to a winery on sunday and buy wine. It is illegal to sell take out alcohol at every other establishment in the state including breweries. So I guess we are sort of in the same situation.
 
TexLaw said:
At first, I figured you were in Texas. Then, I saw that you didn't have anywhere near the problems with beer laws that we do.


TL
Click to expand...

Not to hijack the thread but what is up with all the restrictions in Texas? I always thought Texas was about personal freedom and the ideal "my property my rules".
 
JayC said:
So, like many a relatively inexperienced homebrewer that hates his day job, I've thought of going pro. I've also thought of becoming an astronaut, but that's besides the point.

I looked into what it takes to get licensed to open a brewery in the state of Ohio. Without even getting into the federal or local issues, a license to make and sell beer as a retailer 'for home use', to a retailer or to a wholesaler costs $3906. If I want to allow people to drink at my establishment (brewpub), then that costs another $3906.

If I want to open a winery, sell wine as a retailer, and allow people to partake of my wares on site, and sell to a wholesaler, that costs $76. If I want to sell directly to retailers, I need to pay for the supplemental license the brewers have to to allow them to operate as a brewpub for the same $3906.

I know there are several threads about ridiculous state laws regarding alcohol, but this one affects my ability to fantasize about quitting my day job, and as such is inexcusable.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately you reside in the "land of the fee, home of the slave." I dont want to burst your bubble, but freedom in the USA is a myth"
...:)
 
AKbrewer said:
Unfortunately you reside in the "land of the fee, home of the slave." I dont want to burst your bubble, but freedom in the USA is a myth"
...:)
Click to expand...

You've got that right.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P772Eb63qIY]YouTube - True News 13: Statism is Dead - Part 3 - The Matrix[/ame]
 
Its not wine snobs that are responsible for the cheap fees for wineries but the agriculture and tourism lobbyist. The fees charged to breweries is due to anti alcohol pressures. Wineries use the fact that they are a local agricultural product and a tourist destination to get their fees lowered. Brewers have not been able to convince anyone that they improve local or state economies sufficiently to warrant more favorable treatment.

The fees do make a nano brewery unfeasible but they do not really impact the success of a business like a full time brewery or successful brewpub. There is still plenty of legal hoops to jump through for both.

Craig
 
In the grand scheme of things $4k isn't that much money after you factor in all the other startup costs of running a restaurant/brewpub business. It's down right reasonable compared to other states.
 
Ohio is maybe the worst state in the nation for attracting and encouraging new businesses / job creation, so really those fees are right in line with what I would expect from this state :(
 
adx said:
In the grand scheme of things $4k isn't that much money after you factor in all the other startup costs of running a restaurant/brewpub business. It's down right reasonable compared to other states.
Click to expand...

Since when is it reasonable to tolerate any level of robbery?
 

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