Title 3
Alcoholic Beverages

Chapter 7
Retail Licenses

R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-7-7.4

§ 3-7-7.4. Brew on premises license.

(a) A brew on premises license (BOP) authorizes the holder to provide brewing supplies and facilities to the public for the private manufacture of malt beverages on the licensed premises. The BOP license shall not authorize the sale of malt beverage to the general public on the premises nor the consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises. The annual fee for the license shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000) for producing more than fifty thousand (50,000) gallons per year and one hundred dollars ($100) per year for producing less than fifty thousand (50,000) gallons per year, prorated to the year ending December 1 in every calendar year and paid to the director of the department of business regulation.

(b) The director of the department of business regulation, the director of the department of health, and the director of the department of environmental management may promulgate rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the purpose of this section, if in the interest of health and safety they are deemed necessary. The director of the department of business regulation shall limit to seven (7) the maximum number of operating facilities issued licenses by the department pursuant to this section.

(c) Any operating facility issued a license pursuant to this section and any individuals using the premises are subject to federal regulations including, but not limited to, 27 CFR 24.75 and 27 CFR 25.205-25.206.

(d) Any facility issued a license pursuant to this section shall, in addition to any federal regulations, comply with the following conditions:

(1) The proprietor of the facility must provide a written notice to the director of the department of business regulation before beginning business. The notice must contain the name and address of the brew on premises facility and the hours when it is open for business. The maximum hours of operation shall be Monday through Saturday, eight o’clock (8:00) a.m. through eleven o’clock (11:00) p.m. and Sunday twelve o’clock (12:00) noon through six o’clock (6:00) p.m., provided, however, bottled beer shall not be removed from the facility on Sundays, and except on Christmas, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving when the facility shall not be open. The notice must be updated in the event of any change in name, address or hours of operation;

(2) The proprietor of the brew on premises facility must keep records relating to all individuals using the facility. Information in these records must include the name, address, age, number of adults residing in the individual’s household, and the quantity of beer produced by each individual during a calendar year. These records may consist of commercial records or invoices, and must be available for inspection by any authorized investigator of this department during the business hours of the facility;

(3) The brew on premises facility shall not provide physical assistance to, or on behalf of, customers in the production or bottling of beer, but may provide advice.

(i) The following activities are examples of providing physical assistance in the production of beer:

(A) Filling of vessels with brewing ingredients;

(B) Mixing of ingredients;

(C) Movement of beer from one vessel or container to another container; and

(D) Filtering and bottling of the final product;

(ii) The following activities do not constitute providing physical assistance in the production of beer:

(A) Cleaning, maintenance, and repair of brewing and bottling equipment;

(B) Maintenance of climate and temperature control;

(C) Disposal of spent grains and wastes;

(D) Quality control (including laboratory examination) of beer; and

(E) Preheating of vessels;

(4)(i) The same individual is responsible for brewing, handling or transporting the beer produced and must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. This individual may produce beer within the prescribed quantity of limitations, shall not transport in excess of twenty (20) gallons of beer produced, and may not sell beer produced. Production of beer for personal use may not be in violation of federal law or regulation or state law or regulation. Beer produced at a brew on premises facility may be removed only for the personal use of the brewer.

(ii) The production of beer per household for personal or family use may not exceed:

(A) Two hundred (200) gallons per calendar year if there are two (2) or more adults residing in the household; or

(B) One hundred (100) gallons per calendar year if there is only one adult residing in the household;

(iii) Partnerships, corporations, or associations may not use the brew on premises facility and may not produce beer for personal or family use; and

(iv) Transportation of brewed beer shall be at the time of bottling. The brew on premises facility shall not allow more than twenty (20) cases (twenty-four (24) twelve (12) ounce bottles) to remain on the premises at any given time.

(e) Any violation of the provisions of this section shall be enforced in accordance with any of the appropriate enforcement provisions contained in this title.

History of Section.
P.L. 1997, ch. 367, § 1.