The Alaska craft spirits industry is stronger than it’s ever been, with new distilleries opening each year providing quality jobs for Alaskans and quality product for our customers. We love being a part of our communities, meeting customers in our tasting rooms and showcasing our spirits by serving them the way they are meant to be enjoyed, often with garnishes and mixers and in a way that allows them to see how they might use our products at home.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board’s proposed changes to distillery regulations would prohibit distilleries from serving our spirits mixed with non-alcoholic ingredients, which is standard practice for distilleries in the Lower 48. This would mean no more featuring our gin in a gin and tonic, or our vodka in a Moscow mule. We would only be allowed to serve you 3 ounces of product as a shot, which is not how most people enjoy consuming alcohol. This would be a devastating blow for craft distilleries across the state.
Distilleries already operate under a number of unique restrictions. Tasting room laws have been in place in Alaska for the past three years and allow us to serve a limited amount of our own product to customers on-site. The industry has happily abided by these regulations, but the ABC Board’s proposal goes too far. It is not the responsibility of the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office to regulate any non-alcoholic ingredients we choose to serve with our spirits. An attempt to do so is government overreach and well out of the office’s jurisdiction, as well as an unfair disruption to small business owners who opened with plans in accordance with the existing laws. It would certainly discourage any new distilleries from opening, stifling the growth of a new industry that provides revenue to the state and supports other critical industries in Alaska, like agriculture and tourism.
It’s clear that the proposed rule change is not in the best interest of our state, especially at a time when our economy could benefit from new revenue streams. It’s also clear that this proposal does not benefit Alaskans. Despite what supporters of the proposal say, this issue has nothing to do with public safety. It would not change the amount of alcohol consumed in tasting rooms, which already operate under the highest standards in the state for serving alcohol responsibly. Customers are permitted to consume 3 ounces of the distilled product, an amount that is consistent regardless of how it is served and was established as an alcohol equivalence with what breweries and wineries can serve onsite. Our tasting rooms provide a gathering place for the community and serve as an attraction for visitors of our state who enjoy the experience that is unique to distilleries. With serving restrictions that limit us to an 8 p.m. closing time, we have a different clientele than bars and restaurants. By creating local attractions and opportunities to learn about the industry, distilleries further support local bars and restaurants, which are also important small businesses in our communities.
The distillery industry is important to our state. Alaska is in a recession, and any growing industry should be supported, not be burdened by unnecessary additional challenges. These distilleries provide jobs for Alaskans, tax revenue for the state and complement the tourism and agriculture industries.
Help support the growth of Alaska’s distillery industry by taking action against the ABC Board’s proposed regulation changes. Alaskans opposed to AMCO prohibiting distilleries from serving non-alcoholic ingredients with their product can submit comments on the issue to amco.regs@alaska.gov by 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 29.
We urge you to provide public comment and let the ABC Board know that regulating non-alcoholic ingredients is not its job. We love what we do and love sharing it with Alaskans and visitors to the state. We pour our heart and soul into our communities and now we’re asking for you to support us and help save Alaska’s distillery industry.
• Heather Shade is head distiller at Port Chilkoot Distillery in Haines and the founding president of the Distiller’s Guild of Alaska. My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire.
