Brief Description: Creating a wine and beer tasting pilot project in grocery stores.

Sponsors: Senators Kohl-Welles, Hewitt and Rockefeller.

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development
House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background: Generally, beer and wine tasting is permitted only on licensed premises, although there are some exceptions. Beer and wine tasting is not currently allowed at grocery stores.

Summary: The Liquor Control Board (LCB) is to establish a pilot project to allow beer and wine tasting in grocery stores. The pilot project period is from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2009. As part of the pilot, 30 locations may hold six tastings but no grocery store licensee can hold more than one tasting per month.

The locations for the pilot are to be chosen by the LCB and must be equally allocated between independently owned and national chain grocery stores.

To participate in the project, licensees must meet the following criteria: (1) their primary activity is the retail sale of grocery products for off-premises consumption; and (2) they operate a fully enclosed retail area encompassing at least 9,000 square feet.

The LCB may prohibit tasting at a pilot project location that is within the boundaries of a LCB-recognized alcohol impact area if the tasting activities at the location are having an adverse effect on the reduction of chronic public inebriation in the area.

The area in which the tasting will occur, and the facilities in general, must be located within a fully enclosed retail area and must be of a size or design that the licensee can observe and control people in the area to ensure that no one under 21 or apparently intoxicated persons are served.

Each tasting sample must be two ounces or less, up to a total of four ounces, per customer. No more than one sample of any single brand and type of beer or wine may be provided to a customer during any one visit to the store, and food must be available for tasting customers.

The licensee may only advertise the tasting within the store.

The LCB must report to the Legislature on the pilot project by December 1, 2009.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      32   15
House      51   41   (House amended)
Senate      29   17   (Senate concurred)

Effective: June 12, 2008