getting a beer licensed in Texas

Hi,

Does any of you guys know how much effort (cost) is involved in getting a beer licensed (labeling and everything else that's involved) for distribution in Texas? There's a guy who imports a specific German beer to the U.S. that I'd like to be able to buy in Austin, but apparently it's difficult for him to find a distributor in Texas who is willing to undertake the effort of getting it licensed (or whatever the correct terminology here may be)...

Thanks, David

Reply to
David O.
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I dunno about just the distributor but the brewer may have to change the labels as well. Specifically, if this is a german lager over (I think) 5% - in Texas this must be labelled as an ale. It may not be worth it to the brewer to go to the expense.

Which beer is it?

_Randal

Reply to
Randal

I don't think it has to be labeled Ale, it just can't be labeled beer. There are plenty of over 5% beers in Austin/Texas not labeled as Ale.

The whole TABC is corrupt. That's why it's a PITA to get beer into TX.

-sw

Reply to
Steve Wertz

I agree on the corruption!

Maybe it has to be labelled either ale or malt liquor? Take a look at a Hofbrau Original Lager - it states the name on the label "Original Lager" and then down by the ABV it says: ALE. I saw this on the .5 liter bottles.

_Randal

Reply to
Randal

It's a nightmare getting a beer into Texas. If this specific German beer isn't going to sell a fairly substantial amount, it may well not be worth the effort. Labeling is a particular headache. A label that's okay with the Feds and every other damned state may not pass muster with the TABC because the TABC woke up cranky, or because the TABC is just feeling particularly assy. Then you have to jump through the distributor hoops. The distributors essentially write the Texas liquor/beer laws, and they're good at writing laws designed to keep new distributors the hell out of the state. The distributors are an especially venal group who'll do anything to protect their turf. That's why we have some insanely bad distributors who never go out of business. And the distributors we're stuck with - even the less shitty ones - don't have much reason to bring in new beers, especially beers that may be tough to get through the TABC's byzantine inanity, unless those beers have the potential to sell enough to float a battleship.

Here's a great article from the Dallas Observer that should shed a little light on the hassles of getting TABC label approval:

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Good luck, though. We can always use more German beers in Austin.

BTW - for the record, the Gingerman finally floated its last keg of SNCA about a month ago, ending a run of 18 consecutive months with SNCA on tap. And I miss it.

dave

Reply to
dave kelley

Hi,

Thanks for the answers, and sorry for the late reply, I was out of town...

Randal wrote:

Well. If I remember correctly, it's less than 5 %. Also, the beer has already a US-specific label reading "Ale". (I have a bottle here in front of me that I bought in California.)

Reissdorf Koelsch -

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Imported by B. United International -

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Cheers, David

Reply to
David O.

Well, here is my point: There's already somebody who imports the stuff into the US (see my previous email.) Apparently, he (the guy's name is Matthias) or the brewery seemed at least once before willing to change the label for distribution in the US. I talked to Matthias, and he said he wasn't able to find a distributor in Texas who is willing to go through the approval process. I don't know how hard he tried. I talked to Brad at Grapevine Market, and he said he'd buy it if it was available. I tried to find a distributor who might be interested, but I don't really know whom to talk to.

So, as a last resort, if the potential margins aren't attractive enough to compensate for the approval process, (although I personally could imagine that it would sell quite good in Austin,) my thought was to try to quantify (in $$) what hassle is actually involved in getting it licensed and ask the brewery if they would be willing to sponsor this activity - call it marketing or whatever. Which means I am trying to get an idea of whether it would be about $ 100 or 5000 or whatever. Plus, that would require finding a distributor who would be willing to do the paper work if at least his expenses are covered.

Cool, thanks!

Yes. Especially Koelsch, since all the Koelsch brewed in the US sucks, more or less. ;)

What do I need to do to get the Gingerman interested in replacing it with Reissdorf Koelsch and asking their wholesaler to get it licensed in Texas? :-)

Thanks, David

Reply to
David O.

So it *is* an ale, then.

Reply to
Mike Roebuck

Reflects my assessment. Oddly enough, I had some the other night at the Toronado too, next to some guy who looked a lot like you.

Again, exactly my impression. It was certainly interesting and different from what I've had of theirs before, and typical of SN there's really no fault to find. But neither does it really grab me. Harvest, way back when, had a stronger impression on me than Torpedo did.

-Steve

Reply to
Steve Jackson

Steve Jackson wrote: ...

Don't tell me Harvest Ale ain't what it used to be! Ah, well, I never would've imagined that Deschutes would face-plant into the pavement eithe.

Reply to
sleurB kciN

I won't because that's not what I said. Just comparing first impressions of Harvest (which was way back when) vs. first impressions of Torpedo (which was Sunday).

No such danger so far from the boys in Chico.

-Steve

Reply to
Steve Jackson

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