Liquor law attorneys Matthew B. Andersen, Esquire, and Theodore J. Zeller III, Esquire were quoted in a number of publications discussing the impact the government shutdown is having on breweries, wineries, and distilleries as well as Pennsylvania’s proposed sales tax on brewery sales. » Read More

Theodore J. Zeller III, Esquire, a Member of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Chair of its Liquor Law Practice Group, was quoted in The Morning Call as general counsel to the Brewers of Pennsylvania regarding the new brewery sales tax bulletin from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue that it is pushing to take effect on July 1, 2019.  » Read More

In Pennsylvania, consumers have enjoyed the benefits of new packaging opportunities offered by Pennsylvania Distributor Licenses under recent, dynamic changes to the Pennsylvania Liquor Code.  We have chronicled those changes previously in many different blogs including our slushy blog, which you can access here.  » Read More

As the top bidders were announced for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (Pa.L.C.B.) Seventh Restaurant License Auction, anybody who has paid attention to the results of the previous auctions can notice a trend.  The last few auctions have had more no-bids and the high-bids have gone down substantially.  » Read More

Theodore J. Zeller III, Esquire, a Member of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Chair of its Liquor Law Practice Group, was quoted in Craft Brewing Business regarding the impact of the recent changes in Pennsylvania’s sales tax laws.  “Oof: Pennsylvania is trying to tack 6 percent sales tax onto brewery sales” discusses the state’s Department of Revenue push for Pennsylvania breweries to charge a 6% sales tax on all taproom products, but the Brewers of Pennsylvania, which Ted is general counsel for, have been fighting and have pushed back. » Read More

Do you like wine with your pizza? There’s now an app that helps you choose the perfect bottle to match your toppings, but there’s a catch and the Pennsylvania Liquor Code is responsible for it. If you like beer with your pizza, you can have it delivered with your pizza of choice without leaving the comfort of your home. » Read More

Frankly, the answer is both.

Recently, a friend visited my hometown’s local beer distributor and was shocked to see machines churning brightly-colored Smirnoff slushies. The distributor’s employees were serving the slushies to customers in Styrofoam cups with lids and tape over the straw hole. » Read More

Through the efforts of the Brewers of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has extended the enforcement date of its new Bulletin imposing a sales tax upon a brewery’s direct sales to customers.  The date has been extended from January 1, 2019, until July 1, 2019.  » Read More

Few medals bear such weighty significance in the world of beer as those awarded during the Great American Beer Festival.  This year, medals were awarded to a greater number of styles than ever before, reaching a whopping 102 categories, many of which have two or more subcategories.   » Read More

In prior posts, we discussed whether federal Certificate of Label Approval (“COLA”) approval was necessary to obtain state label approval in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, even if the product is sold exclusively in your state.  We also discussed when the use of certain ingredients in beer triggers the need for formula approval.  » Read More