Spirituous Liquor Manufacturer Tastings Conducted
SB132 expands the authority of Colorado licensed spirituous liquor manufacturers to conduct tastings and sales at their premises and approved sales room locations. Under current law, a manufacturer may offer tastings and sell its own spirituous liquors at its licensed premises and at one other approved sales room location. The bill increases that flexibility by allowing tastings and sales at up to two additional approved sales room locations, for a total of up to five approved sales room locations, subject to the bill’s licensing rules.
The bill also creates a new permit process for manufacturers that conduct tastings to serve and sell certain alcohol beverages acquired from Colorado-licensed wholesalers at the manufacturer’s premises or approved sales room. If approved, the manufacturer must keep sandwiches and light snacks available, but is not required to offer full meals, and sales of wholesaler-acquired alcohol beverages may not exceed 50% of the manufacturer’s total alcohol beverage sales. In addition, manufacturers operating a sales room may use common alcohol modifiers such as vermouth, amaro, and liqueurs to make cocktails for on- or off-premises consumption, so long as the modifier is combined with the manufacturer’s own spirituous liquor.
The bill would amend Colorado Revised Statutes section 44-3-402 governing manufacturer licenses and tastings, and it gives the state licensing authority rulemaking and permitting authority to administer the new provisions. It also adds notice requirements for the new permit application, including posting the application at the location and publishing notice in a newspaper before the permit is issued. The bill takes effect after the referendum period unless referred to voters.
The overall sentiment reflected in the vote history is mixed but generally supportive within the Senate, where the bill advanced through committee and passed third reading, though not unanimously. The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee later postponed the bill indefinitely, indicating resistance or unresolved concerns in the House despite earlier Senate approval. No committee transcripts were provided, so the record shows procedural support in the Senate but a more negative outcome in the House.
The main points of contention appear to be the expansion of manufacturer privileges into broader retail-style alcohol service and the addition of sales of wholesaler-acquired beverages at manufacturer locations. Potential concerns likely include competition with existing retailers and wholesalers, regulatory oversight, and whether the bill expands tasting rooms into quasi-bars or mixed beverage venues. Supporters likely view it as a modernization and business flexibility measure for craft spirit producers, while opponents may worry about market impacts and alcohol-control policy.
SB132 would modify Colorado’s liquor licensing laws by expanding the tasting and sales authority of spirituous liquor manufacturers under C.R.S. 44-3-402. It increases the number of approved sales room locations a manufacturer may operate, creates a permit pathway for serving and selling certain wholesaler-acquired alcohol beverages at manufacturer premises or sales rooms, and authorizes the use of common alcohol modifiers to make cocktails. The bill also imposes conditions on food availability, sales mix limits, notice, and state licensing authority rulemaking, thereby broadening manufacturer operations while adding regulatory guardrails.
The bill appears to have had meaningful support in the Senate, where amendments were adopted and the measure passed third reading, but it was not unanimous at key stages. The later House committee action to postpone the bill indefinitely suggests stronger opposition or at least insufficient support in the House. Overall, the sentiment is best characterized as supportive among some legislators and industry-oriented stakeholders, but contested enough to prevent smooth final advancement.
The likely controversy centers on whether spirituous liquor manufacturers should be allowed to move beyond tasting their own products and into broader alcohol service and cocktail sales. Critics may object to allowing sales of wholesaler-acquired alcohol beverages at manufacturer locations, especially given the 50% sales cap and the possibility that tasting rooms could resemble bars or mixed-beverage venues. Another point of concern is the expansion from one to up to five approved sales room locations, which could be viewed as a significant market expansion. Supporters likely argue the bill helps Colorado distilleries compete, diversify offerings, and attract customers, while opponents may focus on competition with retailers, wholesalers, and existing alcohol licensing structures.