2018 Act allowing breweries and distilleries to sell direct

Geuze · 03-09-2018 4:25pm #1

https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/act/2018/17/eng/enacted/a1718.pdf

This Act allows manufacturers of beer and spirits to sell their own products on their premises to people who have taken a guided tour.

The brewer/distiller does not have to pay 60-100k to have an existing pub licence extingushed.

Now, the Act also allows direct off-sales.

Is it likely that brewers will embrace this?

Say beers are currently priced at four 33cl cans for 10 euro in a supermarket.

It seems that the brewery can now cut out the distribution/wholesale/retail on at least some sales, to locals.

You would hope that the direct price would be less, but of course the local retailers won't be happy with this.

Water John · 03-09-2018 4:30pm

Generally in most business, a factory outlet cannot undermine the retail trade that sells most of its product. I presume this is more the craft beer market. Tour of the factory and option to buy a case or two.

s3rtvdbwfj81ch · 05-09-2018 8:51am

Geuze wrote: »

Is it likely that brewers will embrace this?

Yep, most of them have been fully behind the legislation as it was passing through the various stages in the Oireachtas. Some of them even have the tap rooms ready to go once the act is fully passed into law.

It's a tour of the brewery and the option to sit and buy and drink glasses or pints of the beer produced on premises (and only that beer produced there, they can't start selling other beers) at certain times (they have to close by 7pm I believe).

The difference between an Irish craft brewery and, say, St James' Gate which already does a tour+pint is that Diageo already have a full licence on the premises, so they are essentially already a pub.

You could always rock up to a brewery and buy a case of beer, to take home if they'd sell you one, this act allows them to sell lower volume to customers to drink on-site.

Geuze · 05-09-2018 10:16am

Section 1 (6) part (c) says:

(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2018, a licence
issued or renewed under this section shall operate to authorise the sale on the
premises to which the licence is attached of intoxicating liquor manufactured in
accordance with a relevant licence on the premises—

(c) between the hours of—
(i) 10.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. each day other than Christmas Day or a day to
which subparagraph (ii) applies, and
(ii) 12.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. on a Sunday, other than a Christmas Day which
falls on a Sunday, and St. Patrick’s Day,
for consumption off the premises, to persons who have not completed a guided
tour of the premises, where the certificate referred to in subsection (1) has been
granted by the Circuit Court or the District Court.

This means no guided tour required for off-sales.

So we can look forward to sales direct from the brewery, probably by the case, great.

noby · 05-09-2018 10:52am

Solomon Nervous Hamburger wrote: »

The difference between an Irish craft brewery and, say, St James' Gate which already does a tour+pint is that Diageo already have a full licence on the premises, so they are essentially already a pub.

Yes, but they could still use this new licence if they choose to. There is no size restriction. (I'm sure it suits them to have a full pub licence in the Storehouse).

Solomon Nervous Hamburger wrote: »

You could always rock up to a brewery and buy a case of beer, to take home if they'd sell you one, this act allows them to sell lower volume to customers to drink on-site.

I'm sure you meant to say 4.5 Gallons, because that is the existing law. :cool:

There will be two distinct licences a brewery can apply for - one being off-sales only, the other being on-sales (and off), after the completion of a tour.

L1011 · 05-09-2018 12:23pm

Guinness actually have a pub licence for the Storehouse *and* a pub licence for the Open Gate. They bought the old Leonards pub on the corner of their site so I'd guess the Open Gate is where the licence went. They have the cash to throw at that; plenty of small brewers would find it impossible to justify spending 100k+ on a pub licence even if they had it.

RasTa · 05-09-2018 1:56pm

What about what Rascals are doing with a restaurant license

noby · 05-09-2018 2:59pm

RasTa wrote: »

What about what Rascals are doing with a restaurant license

Totally different thing - if that's what they're planning - with it's own set of criteria.

BeerNut · 05-09-2018 3:41pm

noby wrote: »

Totally different thing - if that's what they're planning - with it's own set of criteria.

Yeah, they want it to be more an event space with food in its own right, rather than just the visit-a-working-brewery model the new licences are meant to create.

n97 mini · 05-09-2018 5:51pm

Rascals have secured a wine licence for their new premises according to the licence register.

This is not a restaurant licence (one pictured to show it's something different). Maybe they'll get one of those next.

EDIT: on further inspection several restaurants near me sell beer but only have wine licences. The revenue website would seem to suggest a wine licence holder can sell beverages up to 23% abv, so maybe a "wine" licence really means a "no spirits" licence.

RasTa · 06-09-2018 11:49am

A Refreshment House is defined as 'all houses, rooms, shops, or buildings kept open for public refreshment, resort and entertainment at any time between the hours of 10 o'clock and 7 o'clock of the following morning not being licensed for the sale of beer, cider, wine or spirits respectively’.

Should you also wish to sell beer, you may apply to the District Court for a Restaurant Certificate when licensed. If successful, this will entitle you to also sell beer for consumption with a meal.

Seems similar although you have to go separate for beer

2018 Act allowing breweries and distilleries to sell direct

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