Homebrewing & Craft Beer Laws

Homebrewers, who make beer largely for personal consumption, don't have to worry much about regulation – their primary restriction is, their beer can't be sold. Making the leap from homebrewing to for-profit brewing, however, presents a variety of legal hurdles. Proper disposal of brewery waste, avoidance of intellectual property disputes, and compliance with employment laws are all necessary for running a successful start-up brewery, as is knowledge of state and local regulations and restrictions on what a brewery or brewpub can sell.  Join attorney Kathleen Kline for an overview of the types of legal issues one may face when transitioning from a homebrewer to a brewery owner.

Learning Objectives:

1. Address the legal issues that arise when homebrewers transition to for-profit brewing
2. Identify IP disputes and ways to avoid them
3. Ensure compliance with employment laws
4. Consider state and local restrictions on what breweries may sell