Tennessee Distillers Fork Over New License Fee

The Tennessee Department of Revenue is collecting a $1,000 license fee that for years - or perhaps decades - was not imposed. We understand that an application for this license is being prepared and will soon be added to the extensive list of licenses required of distillers.

The Revenue license is a remnant of the colorful past of Tennessee's liquor industry. After the repeal of Prohibition in 1937, Jack Daniels and George Dickel operated under licenses issued by Revenue. The Alcoholic Beverage Commission was not created until 1963.

We thought that the Revenue license was replaced by the ABC manufacturer's license - and apparently, for quite some time, Revenue agreed.

In the past few weeks, we have heard from several distillers that Revenue has asked for the $1,000 license fee, payable under the 1937 law. One source at Revenue indicated that an application is being drafted for the license. Revenue is taking the position that the $1,000 fee is due every year.

We will update when information about the new application is available.

Hail to the New Chief at Nashville Beer Board

Anne Arney was elected Chair and Brian Taylor Vice Chair at tonight's (November 16) Metro Nashville Beer Board Meeting. Both have served one term on the board, with 4 of 7 spots being newly appointed.

Chair Arney lead a spirited agenda and appeared to adopt many of the procedural traditions established by her predecessors. Ms. Arney is an attorney at Nashville law firm Bone McAllester Norton and specializes in representing doctors and other health care providers.

Changes at Metro Nashville Beer Board

Today's Metro Nashville Beer Board Meeting presented lots of new faces. Mayor Dean appointed 4 new board members to the 7 member Board. Among the departed members was former chair Joy Sims.

With Anne Arney filling the position of interim chair, the change was profound to beer board regulars. Gone were perennial members Tamara Hart, Gary Larkins and Joy Sims. Their years of experience will be missed.

Meet the new members:

James Collier, attorney with a general practice
Anton Jackson, attorney at the Metro District Attorney's office, which prosecutes crimes
Brad Northcut, architect and President of 12South Neighborhood and District
Shannon Romain, attorney practicing divorce and family law

We understand that the new chair will be elected at the November 16 meeting.

We were pleased to see the new Board take up and correct an unintended consequence of the recently adopted catering rule. The new rule allows wholesalers to deliver beer to catered premises. Some had read the prior rule as requiring wholesalers to drop beer off only at the caterer's main business. For large events, caterers would have been required to transport scores of kegs from their stores to catered locations. This was a common sense fix and we appreciate the prompt action by the Board.