Update. As described below, application had been made to the Baltimore County Board of Liquor License Commissioners and on April 5, 2021 the Board denied that application. Despite that denial this blog post is likely worth your read. Eli Dinerman has announced that he plans to open the first dedicated kosher full service wine shop in the Baltimore area next month, in an existing brick and mortar building on Reisterstown Road, in lower Pikesville on…

Almost 86 years to the day after the repeal of Prohibition, the Maryland General Assembly commenced on January 8, 2020. That 440th legislative session in Maryland was, for the first time since the Civil War, cut short, ending three weeks early. Despite the abridged, less than 90 day full session, the legislature acted on 1,664 House bills and 12 resolutions and 1,081 Senate bills and 6 resolutions with 667 bills passing both chambers before they…

Most Marylanders are now aware of Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr.’s March 23, 2020 Executive Order in response to the global coronavirus outbreak closing non-essential businesses, however, the Interpretive Guidance issued by the Governor’s Office of Legal Counsel makes clear the order does NOT require “alcoholic beverage stores and distributors, distilleries, and wineries” to close. Additionally, in response to the earlier March 16, 2020 Order “restaurants and bars are subject to specific provisions of the…

The U.S. Trade Representative is reviewing a list of additional European goods, including Scotch whiskies and French wines, for 100% tariffs. The proposed duty to be paid on this very large class of alcoholic beverages will have a huge dollar impact not only on American wine drinkers, but also on a wide breadth of American businesses. The USTR is inviting public comments with respect to the imposition of those price doubling additional duties on specific…

The General Assembly is Maryland’s legislative body. The legislature meets in regular session for 90 days each year beginning the second Wednesday in January to act on more than 2,500 pieces of legislation. On sine die, when the legislature adjourned its 439th session at midnight on the 90th day, on April 8, 2019, a total of 864 bills and 2 resolutions passed both chambers. Most of the legislation enacted in that 2019 General Assembly session,…

Adult Beverage Delivery Trending The most popularly delivered alcoholic beverage product in the U.S. is Veuve Clicquot champagne. Across the U.S. alcoholic beverage sales growth is decelerating, but still growing. That trend does not hold in Maryland where consumption was actually down last year for each beer, wine and spirits (.. with 19.054 gallons consumed per capita in 2018 down from 19.684 gallons consumed in 2017). But there is a bright spot and a tremendous…