Want to serve homebrew at your wedding?

A spirited discussion took place on the AABG email list recently. It started with this query from a member:

Hello fellow brewers-

Tara and I are doing some wedding planning, and looking at banquet halls. One of my questions (of course) is always with regard to our ability to bring and provide homebrew...the answer has always been, “no way....everything MUST go through our distributor...bla bla bla.” I then assure them that we will still pay the full bar rate per person (that we are not looking for some sort of cost savings vehicle), but we would like to have this option available on tap. So far, no go.

So...how have any of you ever done this with either your own or family member’s weddings? Is there any sort of legal ground to stand on that will allow us to do this without jeopardizing their liquor license? If I could provide this proof, I’m sure I would be all set. How do micro breweries hold homebrew meetings and allow them to bring beer in? I would imagine it would be along the same lines.

Thanks for any input and help!!

Mark

Some members chimed in with their own personal experiences:

I provided keg of beer for a wedding at Weller's in Saline http://
www.wellersweddings.com. Weller's provided a bartender, who also
served other drinks. Another friend brought wine he'd bought in
France for his daughter's wedding there.

It might help to point out that Michigan law allows a homebrewer to
give away as gifts 25 gallons a year, so his is legal.

I think they're just trying to maximize their profit.

Jeff

When Kris and I got married at the Henry Ford Estate, this was initially a stumbling block as well. However, once Kris stressed the "centrality" of beer and brewing in my life, they listened a little more carefully. They do not serve alcohol at this venue, so we were allowed to bring a "service" and purchase and bring any commercial liquor we wanted. They were initially concerned about "kegs", but she was careful to explain that these were 5 gallon kegs of specialty crafted beers that were not available commercially - that we were not looking to have a "10 kegger" or anything like that. They let us do it, and we utilized one of their recommended bartenders. I would suggest talking to Kris to find out any additional nuances that she may be able to provide.

That is a very similar angle to the one Jordan and I have been taking
as we approach caterers and venues here in Chicago. Now that the
" sentimentality" of beer has been established, the caterers (the ones
who have the liquor licenses) have all been willing to allow homebrew
even if they insist on supplying the wine and commercial beer
themselves.

-Aaron

Weller's was great.
They provided the bartender, Bob provided 3 cornies of homebrew, and Village Corner provided the cases of wine.

No hassles and good food. :)

Kurt

At Sterling Inn Banquet center they said "nope, no outside alchohol". I asked why, and they stated "we are a restaruant with a standard liquor license, we do not have a Class D license so no alchohol may leave the premises either" (they are part of the Loon River Cafe on Van Dyke in Sterling Heights). INCREDIBLE food at our wedding!! I spoke with more of their people including the manager, executive chef, and their acting Sommelier. They stated that they were fined just 6 months earlier for "breaking the law" because there was alcohol in their facility that was not purchased through state regulated channels (i.e. the LCC). Essnetially I'm betting that the LCC was ticked off because they didn't get their cut. What did they allow in? Of all things, home-brew...30 gallons (6 five gallon cornies).

Last I knew, this was still the policy at big halls that have liquor on premises (San Marino Club, Sterling Inn Banquet Center, and all those other large banquet halls). Now then, if you are renting a hall that allows you to "hire a bartender", then all bets are off. My friends wedding was at a small hall in Rochester, they catered their own wedding, and brought all their own liquor. They even brought their own bartenders (friends of theirs that volunteered for the duty).

My thoughts...if you are reasonable in your request, and have failed at being able to bring your brew into the hall, the brew is a must have, then look for a new hall. There are dozens of halls that have food, but no alchohol. There are dozens that are just a basic hall (and I'm not talking about your local VFW), that allow you to do everything yourself. The one mentioned above was an outdoors themed hall. REALLY NICE. Just no food or beverage...but it was CHEAP to rent...that gave them the money to provide an incredible feast of Wild Pheasant, Venison, Wild Boar, and a few other wild game delights. :)

Regards,

Karl

I got married at Weller's about a year and a half ago. They told me
that we couldn't officially bring beer, but that they'd turn a blind
eye to a few inconspicuous bottles (even though, if I remember
correctly, they had a no glass beer bottle policy). They have a deal
with Wine Castle that ensures all alcohol is purchased through them,
so you may be able to convince the supplier instead of the reception
folks if you're in a similar situation. The bartenders were
independent of the venue, so it wasn't their problem when we were
running out of liquor and my stepdad made a run to the store down the
road in the middle of the reception. Lots of opportunities in the
supply chain for a "slip this in, will you?" if nothing else works.

Joe

Mark came back with this sad reply

Thank you for the many replies.

I have done the usual with my plea... build and establish the story and role of homebrew...etc. I have also assured them that they would be paid full rates (even offered to pay them for my own beer) for the bar service, and that we were not looking for a way to save money, but rather simply include our own special wedding beers. I have also explained that they are small kegs, etc. They simply respond with, “ all liquor that is dispensed on premises, must come through the standard channels/ distributors.” Their responses are driven by fear, and the unknown. One hall did say I could bring in a few bottles....anyone have a bunch of 3L bottles?...I have 3. =) ha! I can just picture the look on their faces now. Tee hee

My goal is to be able to provide them with assurance, and proof that what we are asking for will not jeopardize their license.

Jeff...do you know where I can find this statement regarding the ability to give away 25 gallons/ year? That may just do it.

Thanks again everyone.

Mark

> Jeff...do you know where I can find this statement regarding the
> > ability to give away 25 gallons/ year? That may just do it.

I remember it from back a few years ago when there was the push to
get a law through the legislature specifically permitting homebrew.
There was one bill under consideration, but it turned out that there
was a legislator from somewhere around Midland (?) who was a
homebrewer himself. he convinced the sponsors to withdraw their bill
and substitute one he wrote up, which had this feature in it.

I am sure that there are ways to search state laws.

Jeff

Which inspired another member to do some research into the law:

It was ticking me off that I couldn't find it right away, so I looked
harder. Bookmark this or make a note...

MLCC of 1998, Act 58 of 1998,
436.1207 Exceptions to act, Section 207.

All the amended stuff to allow homebrewing in Michigan is in there --
specifically, items (b) and (c) are of interest.

Gary at the AHA had some thoughts and suggestions:

Hi Mark,

Laws regarding serving homebrew vary from state to state. For my wedding here in Colorado, we found a venue that would allow us to bring in our own alcohol (they did not sell alcohol, which most Wedding venues do, and is the reason most venues won’t let you bring in your own alcohol, because they want to make money by sell the alcohol to you).

For the National Homebrewers Conference we negotiate into the contract our right to serve homebrew at the hotel. Most hotels charge corkage fees and require you to purchase alcohol through them, but for our conference, we put in guarantees of catering and room night revenue for the hotel in exchange for being allowed to bring in our own beer. In Orlando this year, we do need to purchase a three day special event liquor license for $25.

I’d suggest contacting the Michigan State Liquor Control Commission. See http://www.michigan.gov/cis/0,1607,7-154-10570---,00.html, for contact info.

I hope that helps!

Gary Glass
Director
American Homebrewers Association
888-U-CAN-BREW
(303) 447-0816 x 121
gary@brewersassociation.org
www.beertown.org