What's happening
This bill allows retail wine license holders in New York to also sell koji-based distilled spirits under certain conditions.
Why it matters
Expands consumer choice and market diversity. by enabling wine retailers to offer koji-based distilled spirits, a unique category of alcohol produced using a fermentation process traditional to East Asia, which may appeal to adventurous drinkers and cultural enthusiasts.
Creates a new legal definition for "koji based distilled spirits". distinguishing them from other distilled spirits by specifying production methods (using the fungus aspergillus oryzae instead of malted grains) and limiting alcohol content to 24%, which could encourage innovation among local distillers.
Potentially supports local craft producers. by allowing New York distillers with a class D license to produce and sell these spirits at lower regulatory barriers, possibly fostering small business growth and increasing local economic activity.
May drive changes in retail and hospitality offerings. by integrating a niche product into mainstream wine shops and on-premise establishments, potentially influencing beverage trends and consumer education around non-traditional spirits.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Koji Spirits at Bars
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 42
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.636
- Referred to commerce, economic development and small business
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.813
- Print number 4768a
- Amend and recommit to commerce, economic development and small business
- Referred to commerce, economic development and small business
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Allow Koji Spirits in Bars
In Assembly Committee · Economic Development · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4768--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 28, 2017
Introduced by Sen. BONACIC -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the alcoholic beverage control law, in relation to koji
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 81 of the alcoholic beverage control law, as amended by chapter 627 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
3. Such license shall in form and in substance be a license to the person specifically licensed to sell wine at retail, to be consumed upon the premises. Such license shall also be deemed to include a license to sell beer [and], soju and koji based distilled spirits at retail to be consumed under the same terms and conditions without the payment of any additional fee. For the purposes of this subdivision, "soju" shall mean an imported Korean alcoholic beverage that contains not more than twenty-four per centum alcohol, by volume, and is derived from agricultural products, and "koji based distilled spirits" shall mean any spirit, produced by a holder of a class D distiller's license, at or lower than twenty-four percent alcohol by volume, in which aspergillus oryzae, a filamentous fungus, is utilized in the saccharification in the production of the mash used to produce the spirit, and which has not used germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as malting for starch conservation.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08309-02-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the alcoholic beverage control law, in relation to koji
Purpose
To include koji based distilled spirits among the products eligible to sold under a license to sell wine for on premises consumption.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends subdivision 3 of section 81 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control law to include koji based distilled spirits within the beverages that can be sold under a license to sell wine for on premises consumption, along with beer and soju. Further it defines the term "koji based distilled spirits" as "any spirit, produced by a holder of a class D distiller's license, at or low than twenty-four percent alcohol by volume, in which aspergillus oryzae, a filamentous fungus, is utilized in the saccharification in the production of the mash used to produce the spirit, and which has not used germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as malting for starch conservation."
Section 2: Effective date.
Existing law
Currently the possessor of a license to sell wine for on premises consumption under section 81 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control law is also entitled to sell beer and soju as well. Soju is defined in law as "an imported Korean alcoholic beverage that contains not more than twenty-four per centum alcohol, by volume, and is derived from agricultural products."
Justification
By limiting the definition of "Soju" under current law to imported products, in state distillers are denied the opportunity to offer their own koji based distilled spirits. With the growth of farm and craft distilleries in recent years, it is important to ensure they are not operating at a competitive disadvantage.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.