New Rules To Separate Makers From Fakers

The State of Montana's Department of Revenue will hold a public meeting on January 13, 2014 to consider a proposed amendment to the rules governing the production, sale and distribution of distilled spirits. These new rules would further define what constitutes a micro-distillery in Montana, provide for tax revenues from tasting room sales, and clarify the use and sale of distilled spirits obtained from another distilled spirits plant.

Of significant interest to the craft purist is the latter, a modification of the rules aimed at creating transparency in a market that can at times appear to be purposefully muddied. If adopted, the proposed changes would require that products made available in Montana tasting rooms consist of spirits that were 90% distilled on-site. The use of spirits sourced from another distiller for blending or contract packaging would continue to be allowed, providing these products were bottled for sale off-premise and that the ratio of homegrown liquor to that produced elsewhere is reported to the state.

Its another example of the growing clamor about what is, and more importantly what can be labeled as, craft spirits. And while it certainly doesn't make one spirit taste better than another, it is nice to see the industry working to ensure consumers have the information necessary to make conscious decisions about what it is wish to support.