Bristow Beverage Law

01/22/2025

To all our friends trying to juggle today - we see you. ❄️

01/03/2025

This is 45, Brook Bristow.

A very happy birthday to our boss man and chief attorney at lager.

01/02/2025

32.

That’s how many times we posted on social media last year.

It’s not just because we don’t have a marketing team.

It’s not just because we don’t have time.

It’s not just because we aren’t creative.

See, from what we’re told, this space is where we’re supposed to tell you about how perfect we are, or how wonderful things are going for the people we work for — or to simply say “happy new year” and give a positive spin on how amazing things will be in the coming year.

The truth is… we can’t say any of that, and haven’t been able to in quite some time.

We aren’t perfect.

There have been moments when we wished we had done better, moved faster, or communicated more clearly.

And things aren’t wonderful.

Sure, we have friends who are thriving, and we celebrate those wins. But we also have a lot of friends who are hurting, struggling to keep the doors open, facing a mountain of uncertainty, and in some cases — feeling like they might not make it to the other side. As a small business, we feel that. We lost a lot of those teammates last year. And the year before that. We, ourselves, almost had to close our doors several times last year. Hell, we might still have to in the coming weeks or months for all we know.

So, rather than rattle off some disingenuous words or some algorithmically produced language about new beginnings, fresh opportunities, or the promise of a brighter year ahead, here’s what we’ll say:

No matter where this post finds you, we want you to know that we are for you and your success, whatever that looks like.

If you’re a friend who is thriving — we’re so proud of what you’ve accomplished, and we’re here to support you, keep pushing you forward, and cheer you on.

And if you're a friend who is struggling — we’re right with you, and we’re here to fight with you, to keep showing up, and to help you find a way through.

No matter what this next year holds - we’re in this together. Through the wins and the losses.

And we’re gonna keep showing up.

FOR YOU.

12/20/2024

The holidays are here, and with the end of the year looming, there are a ton of compliance traps to fall into. Woof.

But you don't have to go it alone.

Let us help protect your business with any last-minute assistance on:

✅ FDA Renewals
✅ Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Filings
✅ Out-of-State License Renewals
✅ Annual State Corporate/LLC Filings
✅ Brand Registration Renewals
✅ Local Business License Renewals
✅ Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) Updates
✅ Compliance Filings and Advisement
✅ Anything else, like that Furnace in the Basement

Message or email today if we can be of help.

We'll give you to the count of ten.

Happy holidays, ya filthy animals. 🏠

11/05/2024

🚨 LAW OF THE WEEK! 🚨

Today's Lesson:

Election Day Liquor Sales.

S.C. Code § 61-6-4160.

💥💥💥

It’s Election Day, and while we don’t know who will win yet, we do know that one thing’s for sure: there’s going to be drinking, one way or another. 🥃🗳️

But here’s something you might not know: It wasn’t until 2014 that South Carolina allowed the sale of liquor on statewide election days—making us the last state in the country to lift that ban. 🚫

How did we get here? Well, the ban dates all the way back to 1882, when the law was passed to prevent crafty politicians from offering free drinks in exchange for votes. Back then, saloons were often polling places, and the state didn’t want any “liquid encouragement” muddying the waters of democracy. 💸

While Election Day is now fair game for purchasing liquor, there’s a twist: the new law now prevents liquor sales on Christmas Day. 🎄

Fun fact: That 2014 piece of legislation didn’t just end the Election Day ban—it also contained the provisions of the famous Stone Law, which legalized on-site beer and wine sales for breweries that have a kitchen. 🍻

06/06/2024

Happy 11th anniversary to the Pint Law, which was signed by the Governor on this day in 2013.

The law allowed breweries to operate taprooms for the first time, increasing the on-site consumption limit of beer from 4 four ounce tasters to forty-eight ounces a day.

Since the law’s passage, brewery openings in South Carolina are up over 1,000%.

🍻

05/23/2024

If you’re tired of the incessant beer, wine, and spirits “holidays,” just know that today is officially Drinking with Chickens Day.

Yeah, that’s a real thing.

What the cluck, right?

Maybe the others aren’t so bad after all.

And if you feel that way, then good news, because it’s World Chardonnay Day.

05/22/2024

Today is National Craft Distillery Day, and we are raising a glass to all of the amazing distillers we’re proud to represent.

We celebrate your ingenuity, artistry, and determination in creating world-class spirits!

05/15/2024

This week is American Craft Beer Week, and we are raising a glass to all of the amazing brewers we're proud to represent across South Carolina!

We celebrate their passion, creativity, and dedication to the craft.

🍻

05/13/2024

It’s World Cocktail Day!

And to celebrate, we just made a really rad one.

Here’s the recipe:

4 ounces bourbon.

🥃

05/06/2024

This past weekend was Big Brew for National Homebrew Day, which is an annual event created by the American Homebrewers Association, celebrating the complete joy of homebrewing.

If you've been thinking of giving it a shot, then maybe check out a meeting near you. There are plenty of great clubs around that can also be found in the link below. 🍻

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-clubs/find-a-homebrew-club/

04/26/2024

Earlier this week, the FTC threw out non-compete agreements for certain employees like it was an IPA that had been on the shelf for 9 months. Does the ban mean your production employees can just head across the street to another company and recreate your products? What does the ban mean for your business? Will it hold up?

➡️ We’ll break down the legalities in our latest blog post.

DISCLAIMER: This post does not constitute legal advice and is presented for information, education, or entertainment purposes. It is opinion and commentary, and merely attempts to review laws and...