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S 2415Alcohol

Alcoholic Beverages - Manufacturing and Wholesale Licenses

This bill corrects a typo in liquor laws and allows breweries to sell larger quantities of beer to customers for take-home consumption.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Introduced Jan 30, 2026Committee Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

Plain-English Summary

This bill amends the regulations regarding manufacturer's licenses for breweries, distilleries, and wineries in Rhode Island. It corrects a typographical error in the existing law regarding the definition of a drink for on-premises consumption. More significantly, it updates the limits on the amount of malt beverages (beer) that a brewery can sell to a visitor for off-premises consumption (to-go). Specifically, it allows for the sale of up to 48 sixteen-ounce bottles or cans, or one 1/6 barrel keg per visitor per day. The bill maintains existing licensing fee structures.

For younger readers

This law changes the rules for businesses that make beer, wine, and spirits. First, it fixes a small mistake in the writing of the old law to make it easier to read. Second, it lets adults buy more beer directly from the place that makes it to take home with them. Before, there were stricter limits on how many cans or bottles you could buy at once. Now, a person can buy more large cans or even a small keg of beer to bring home.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
BreweriesDistilleriesWineriesBeer ConsumersLiquor Stores
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Supports local economic growth by expanding revenue opportunities for small, often locally-owned craft breweries, keeping money within the community.
  • Enhances community welfare by strengthening breweries as "third spaces" where community members gather, fostering social connection under regulated conditions.
  • Modernizes antiquated liquor laws, removing arbitrary restrictions on consumer choice and allowing for a more sensible approach to commerce.
  • Increases the availability and volume of alcohol for purchase, which could potentially contribute to public health issues related to substance abuse and addiction.
  • May negatively impact smaller, independent liquor stores (Class A retailers) by shifting sales volume to manufacturers, potentially threatening unionized or local retail jobs.
  • Does not address systemic issues regarding who owns the means of production in the alcohol industry, benefiting business owners rather than mandating better wages for service workers.
For Conservatives
  • Promotes free market principles by reducing government restrictions on the quantity of product a private business can sell to a willing customer.
  • Enhances personal liberty by allowing individuals to purchase legal products in quantities that suit their needs without arbitrary state interference.
  • Encourages business growth and profitability for manufacturers without requiring government subsidies or taxpayer funding.
  • May be viewed as encouraging increased alcohol consumption, which conflicts with traditional social values regarding temperance and public order.
  • Could undermine the established three-tier system of alcohol distribution, potentially harming traditional liquor store owners who rely on current regulatory frameworks.
  • Increases the potential for intoxication-related public safety issues, potentially placing a burden on law enforcement and emergency services.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 3 additions · 1 deletion

SECTION 1. Section 3-6-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-6 entitled "Manufacturing and Wholesale Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows: 3-6-1. Manufacturer’s license.

(a) A manufacturer’s license authorizes the holder to establish and operate a brewery, distillery, or winery at the place described in the license for the manufacture of beverages within this state. The license does not authorize more than one of the activities of operator of a brewery or distillery or winery and a separate license shall be required for each plant.

(b) The license also authorizes the sale at wholesale, at the licensed place by the manufacturer of the product of the licensed plant, to another license holder and the transportation and delivery from the place of sale to a licensed place or to a common carrier for that delivery. The license does authorize the sale of beverages for consumption on premises where sold; provided that the manufacturer does not sell an amount in excess of forty-eight ounces (48 oz.) of malt beverage or four and one-half ounces (4.5 oz.) of distilled spirits, or fifteen ounces (15 oz.) of wine per visitor, per day, or a combination not greater than three (3) drinks where a drink is defined as up to sixteen ounces (16 oz.) of beer or one and one-half ounces (1.5 oz.) of spirits, or five ounces (5 oz.) of wine of spirits, for consumption on the premises. The license also authorizes the sale of beverages produced on the premises in an amount not in excess of forty-eight (48) twelve-ounce (12 oz.) bottles or cans or forty-eight (48) sixteen-ounce (16 oz.) bottles or cans of malt beverages, or one one-sixth (1/6) barrel keg of malt beverage, or one thousand five hundred milliliters (1,500 ml) of distilled spirits per visitor, or three (3) seven hundred fifty milliliter (750 ml) bottles of wine or the equivalent amount of wine sold by the can or other container, per day, to be sold in containers that may hold no more than seventy-two ounces (72 oz.) each. These beverages may be sold to the consumers for off-premises consumption, and shall be sold pursuant to the laws governing retail Class A establishments. The containers for the sale of beverages for off-premises consumption shall be sealed. The license does not authorize the sale of beverages in this state for delivery outside this state in violation of the law of the place of delivery. The license holder may provide to visitors, in conjunction with a tour or tasting, samples, clearly marked as samples, not to exceed three hundred seventy-five milliliters (375 ml) per visitor for distilled spirits and seventy-two ounces (72 oz.) per visitor for malt beverages at the licensed plant by the manufacturer of the product of the licensed plant to visitors for off-premises consumption. The license does not authorize providing samples to a visitor of any alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption that are not manufactured at the licensed plant. All manufacturer licenses conducting retail sales or providing samples shall be subject to compliance with alcohol server training and liquor liability insurance requirements set forth in §§ 3-7-6.1 and 3-7-29 and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(c) The annual fee for the license is three thousand dollars ($3,000) for a distillery producing more than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year and five hundred dollars ($500) for a distillery producing less than or equal to fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year; five hundred dollars ($500) for a brewery; and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for a winery producing more than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year and five hundred dollars ($500) per year for a winery producing less than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year. All those fees are prorated to the year ending December 1 in every calendar year and shall be paid to the general treasurer for the use of the state.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.