Many craft brands — whether it be beer, wine or spirits — look to become a part of the community and establish their local roots by naming the brand after where it’s based. The examples are endless, including Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Gin, St. Augustine Distillery, Kings County Distillery, etc. Many of the issues with trademark applications in 2015 were related to geography. Take a look at this wonderful review from Foley Hoag here.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Goose Island sold its brewpub, taproom, to AB InBev, five years after Goose Island sold its brewery to AB InBev. Goose Island founder, John Hall, told the Tribune that he was unable to sell the brewpub under Illinois law at the time of the brewery sale in 2011. The taproom will be a subsidiary of Fulton Street brewery and will no longer sell wine or spirits, according to the Tribune. For some time now the Illinois Liquor Control Commission has been converting many of its trade practice policies into administrative rules. Eventually, the rules will become a part of the Administrative Code. ​​​One such proposed rule relates to manufacturers retailing privileges.    

Unlike many states, California law does not require employees serving alcohol to consumers to complete any responsible server training courses. Rather, it is optional and a practice that some corporate restaurant groups require. A new bill proposed on February 17, 2016, would establish the Responsible Interventions for Beverage Servers (“RIBS”) Training Act of 2016. Beginning July 1, 2020, on-premise employees who sell or serve alcohol, including managers, must complete an approved RIBS course within 3 months of employment and every 3 years thereafter. “The bill would provide that an approved RIBS training course include information on, among other things, state laws and regulations relating to alcoholic beverage control and the impact of alcohol on the body,” according to the Bill summary. For full text of the proposed Bill, click here.