Comprehensive Legal Solutions Breweries • Wineries • Distilleries 

Our team of experienced legal advisors work with the federal government and TTB officers to get your alcoholic beverage industry-related business up and running without delays.

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Legal Counsel for the Alcohol Industry

Contact the Alcohol Industry Advisors Today

Do you own a brewery or a winery? You’re probably well aware of the multitude of laws and specific regulations that govern the alcohol beverage industry in the United States. At Mooney Wieland, our firm is well-versed in these regulations, allowing us to simplify the legal steps of opening or expanding a beverage manufacturing business.

Allow us to save you the time and frustration of dealing with complex bureaucratic paperwork and rules. Call the Alcohol Industry Advisors at (208) 295-5809 today for a consultation.

Getting a Federal Permit

You must have a federal permit issued by the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) in order to commercially manufacture wine, beer, or liquor. Your permit is contingent on a few different factors, including:

  • Your criminal history. For example, you cannot have been convicted of a felony within the previous 5 years or a misdemeanor relating to alcohol within the previous 3 years.
  • You must show the TTB that you will be able to commence operations within a reasonable amount of time and maintain your operations in conformity with federal law.
  • You must show the TTB that your proposed operations do not violate the law, including that they comply with rules on recording and paying excise taxes.

To evaluate these questions, the TTB requires you to submit documentation about your history, your business, and your planned operations with your application. Your application package will include, for example, the lease of your building, financial records, and corporate documents.

Ways We Can Help Your Business Venture

Beverage Trademarks

A trademark is any device, such as a logo, name, or slogan, that differentiates your brand from competitors. Virtually every can, bottle, keg, or other container of alcoholic beverages sold to consumers have trademarks on their labels. Trademarks also appear on signage, barrels, tap handles, websites, and anywhere else your customers might encounter your products.

Because trademarks are irreplaceable, they are among the most valuable things that manufacturers own. And given how crowded the beverage industry has become, it is easier than ever to accidentally infringe on another manufacturer’s trademarks. To ensure that your trademark can be used without interference from competitors, it is important to:

  • Conduct a trademark clearance before using it in the marketplace. Clearing a trademark is a process in which an attorney searches for preexisting trademarks to evaluate whether your trademark might infringe someone else’s.
  • Register your trademarks with the Federal government. Registration provides instant, nationwide protection for your trademark. It also makes your brand much more appealing to people who may want to buy your business someday.

Need help with these or any other matter pertaining to running a business in the alcohol industry? Contact the Alcohol Industry Advisors to get started today!

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Legal Professionals in the Alcoholic Beverage Industry

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Beer, Wine & Liquor Label Approvals

Before you can manufacture or sell alcoholic beverages in the United States, your beverages must be packaged and labeled in compliance with regulations enforced by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Once your labeling is compliant, you must then get a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) for the label. For some kinds of beverages, the TTB must also approve the formula you use to manufacture the product itself. Although many of these regulations are for health and safety concerns, the TTB’s primary purpose is taxation. This means that some regulations are complex and counter-intuitive.

As the Alcohol Industry Advisors, we work directly with you and your label designers to make sure the product you’re formulating is the right fit for your label and that your label is the right fit for your product. Then, we will apply for the COLA and, if necessary, formula approval, and work with TTB officials if there are any objections or irregularities with your project.

Our Location 802 W Bannock St,
Suite 500
Boise, ID 83702
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Contact Us 208-295-5809

Set Your Business on the Right Path

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