TTB Brewer's Notice
What is a Brewer's Notice?
A brewer’s notice is a federal authorization required for any business producing beer in the United States. Issued by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), this permit is essential for breweries to legally operate. It ensures compliance with federal laws governing the production, storage, and distribution of beer, as well as adherence to tax and reporting requirements.
What Does a Brewers Notice Regulate?
It regulates various aspects of brewery operations, including:
- Production: Establishing compliance with safety and operational standards for brewing beer.
- Recordkeeping: Ensuring breweries maintain detailed records of production volumes, ingredients, and transactions.
- Tax Compliance: Monitoring the accurate calculation and payment of federal excise taxes on beer.
- Labeling: Verifying that product labels meet federal requirements, including ingredient disclosure and marketing claims.
- Distribution: Overseeing the legal sale and shipment of beer to wholesalers, retailers, or directly to consumers where permitted.
This helps protect public safety, maintain industry integrity, and ensure that breweries adhere to consistent regulations.
Why Do You Need This Notice?
If you plan to operate a brewery, obtaining a Brewer’s Notice is a legal requirement before starting production. Without this permit, you cannot legally manufacture or distribute beer, and operating without it can lead to severe penalties, including fines and business closure.
Additionally, the Notice allows you to build trust with partners, distributors, and customers by demonstrating your compliance with federal laws. It ensures that your operations are legitimate, properly taxed, and held to high regulatory standards.
Whether you’re opening a craft brewery, expanding your operations, or starting a contract brewing business, this is a critical step in launching and maintaining a successful and lawful brewing operation.
Contact Clear Beverage Licensing for a free consultation.
Brewer's Notice FAQ
A brewer’s notice is an official communication—often from a regulatory authority or an industry body—that details specific compliance issues, required corrective actions, or changes in regulations affecting brewing operations.
These notices are typically issued by governmental regulatory agencies (such as state or federal bodies like the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in the U.S.) or by industry organizations that monitor quality and regulatory compliance in the brewing sector.
A typical notice will outline the specific concerns or violations, reference the relevant regulations or standards, detail any required corrective measures, and provide a timeline for compliance along with potential consequences for non-compliance.
Brewers should review the notice thoroughly, gather any pertinent records or documentation, and take prompt steps to address the outlined issues. It’s also advisable to seek guidance—whether legal or industry-specific—to ensure the response is appropriate and timely.
Yes, many regulatory frameworks allow brewers to dispute or appeal a notice. This typically involves submitting a formal response or request for review, along with any supporting evidence, within the timeframe specified in the notice.