Selling their product by the glass may soon be a reality for Iowa distilleries.
As the law stands, distilleries like the Mississippi River Distilling Company in LeClaire, Iowa can only offer a two-ounce taste of alcohol, customers can only purchase two bottles of alcohol per day, and the distiller has an annual limit on how much product they can make.
On Monday, April 17, the State Senate passed House File 607, sending the bill onward to Governor Terry Branstad's desk.
Consumers and distillers will notice three big changes if the bill is passed:
- Distillers will be allowed to sell spirits by the glass
- Customers will be able to buy up to 12 bottles of alcohol
- The state-imposed production cap that limits the amount of spirits a distiller can make each year will be increased
"This is a bill we have been working hard on for almost four years now," said Garrett Burchett, owner and distiller at Mississippi River Distilling Company.
Breweries and wineries in the state already have the right to sell by the glass and by the bottle with no sales or production limits.
If the bill is signed, it will go into effect July 1, 2017.