Tax Foundation’s Post

Distilled spirits lead American alcohol sales. In 2023, spirits sales (42 percent of market share) outpaced beer sales (41.9 percent of market share) for the second straight year. Newer products like spirits-based hard seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails have fueled growth, while also blurring the lines of a categorical tax system. The result has been a spirited competition throughout the alcohol industry for market share, including calls to reform tax policy. Distilled spirits face the stiffest tax rates of all alcoholic beverages. These high tax rates are a combination of greater alcohol content in spirits than wine or beer and higher tax rates applied per alcohol content to spirits. A one-ounce shot of 40 percent alcohol-content spirit (0.4 oz of alcohol) carries greater taxes than an identical 12-ounce beer with 4.8 percent alcohol content (0.4 oz of alcohol). Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q02yQnSF0

Read our founder, Gerry's insights on the UK beverage industry and its impact on the economy in the article below! 👇

Is Drinking Beer Worse Than Hard Liquor? The impact of beer vs. hard liquor depends on the amount consumed and the alcoholic content. Both can be detrimental in excessive amounts, but hard liquor contains more alcohol by volume, which can lead to quicker intoxication and potential harm. Key Takeaways Overview of Beer and Liquor: Beer and liquor are popular alcoholic beverages with […] The post Is Drinking Beer Worse Than Hard Liquor? appeared first on Virtue Recovery Houston. https://lnkd.in/gks5WcTV

Beer, Spirits, & Wine – Packaged Imports Decline -8% By Value L12M through February 2024, Packaged Exports Decline -10%

Beer, Spirits, & Wine – Packaged Imports Decline -8% By Value L12M through January 2024, Packaged Exports Decline -14%

AMERICAN SINGLE MALT WHISKEY EARNS ITS OWN STANDARD OF IDENTITY The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) will issue its final rule establishing a new “American Single Malt Whiskey” category, a move that will help protect and promote this growing line of specially created distilled spirits. The document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 12/18/2024 and available online at https://lnkd.in/eyPbWXUT, and on https://govinfo.gov     Key provisions of the American Single Malt Whiskey Standard include: (1)  fermented mash of 100% malted barley produced in the United States; (2)  distillation proof of 160 or less, distilled at the same distillery in the United States; (3)  stored in used, charred new, or uncharred new oak barrels, with a 700 liter maximum capacity and only stored in the United States; (4)  no neutral spirits permitted; and (5)  no allowable coloring, flavoring, or blending materials permitted, except for caramel coloring that is disclosed on the label. The final rule also adopted a standard for the “Straight American Single Malt Whiskey,” requiring that the liquor be aged for a minimum of 2 years to earn the name.  As you might expect, these special trade designations don’t just happen. Two key trade associations, the American Single Malt Commission (ASMWC) and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), were instrumental in designing the concept as well as lobbying the federal government for its adoption. They also worked through DISCUS’ Spirits United to generate more than 1,000 letters from members of the alcohol beverage industry as well as the public at large to TTB Administrator Mary Ryan urging immediate action to finalize the official standard for the American Single Malt Whiskey category. The campaign kicked-off following a joint letter that was sent by DISCUS and the ASMWC to TTB on the issue. These “Standards of Identity” are coveted by distillers, much like “Champagne” is viewed by French wine makers and “Reggiano Parmesan” is seen by Italian cheese makers, to protect the unique nature of those products. As Chris Swonger, President of DISCUS, recently noted: “Having this formal definition is going to protect the integrity of American Single Malt Whiskey and drive experimentation, creativity and innovation in this popular category.” TTB's final rule becomes effective on January 19, 2025. #whiskey; #standardofidentity; #DISCUS; #ASMWC; #americansinglemaltwhiskey; #distilledspirits

There are 5 common license types for manufacturers in California. In the simplest terms, manufacturers, sometimes referred to as producers, make alcohol products. Below is a short summary of these license types. For more information check out our blog post on the California Alcoholic Beverage Market here: https://hubs.li/Q02vCWPd0 ✅Type 04 License (Distilled Spirits Manufacturer) – Allows packaging, bottling, rectifying, and flavoring. Requires RBS certification for alcohol servers and their managers. ✅Distilled Spirits Manufacturer’s Agent (Type 05) – Permits possession, export, or cut, blend, mix, flavor, and color distilled spirits for their own account or for the account of another manufacturer, and the packaging and the sale or delivery thereof. ✅Rectifier (Type 07) – Allows the cut, blend, rectify, mix, flavor, and color distilled spirits and wine upon which excise tax has been paid and, whether rectified by the licensee or another person, to package, label, export, and sell the products to persons holding licenses authorizing the sale of distilled spirits. ✅Distilled Spirits Rectifier’s General (Type 24) – authorizes the holder to cut, blend, rectify, mix, flavor, and color distilled spirits and, whether so cut, blended, mixed, flavored, or colored by the licensee or any other person, to package, label, export, and sell the distilled spirits to distilled spirit manufacturers. ✅Craft Distiller (Type 74) – authorizes the manufacture up to 150,000 gallons per fiscal year of distilled spirits, excluding brandy. In addition to other privileges, this licensee may sell distilled spirits to consumers for consumption on the premises in a bona fide eating place, which is located on the licensed premises. #CaliforniaMarket #ParkStreetUniversity

Beer, Spirits, & Wine – Packaged Imports Decline -8% By Value L12M through February 2024, Packaged Exports Decline -10%

Is Drinking Beer Worse Than Hard Liquor? The impact of beer vs. hard liquor depends on the amount consumed and the alcoholic content. Both can be detrimental in excessive amounts, but hard liquor contains more alcohol by volume, which can lead to quicker intoxication and potential harm. Key Takeaways Overview of Beer and Liquor: Beer and liquor are popular alcoholic beverages with […] The post Is Drinking Beer Worse Than Hard Liquor? appeared first on Virtue Recovery Houston. https://lnkd.in/gks5WcTV