Raise a Glass to New York's New Drinking Laws

New York has just made it easier to make sure you can enjoy a mimosa or bloody Mary with your brunch.

On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that updates the state's 80-year-old Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. Referred to as the "Brunch Bill," the updates to the law allow restaurants to serve alcohol before noon on Sundays and broadens what beverage producers can sell while reducing the fees they have to pay.

Over the last five years, Cuomo worked to make New York friendlier to breweries and vineyards, which has resulted in a 300 percent increase in licensed wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries across the state. It has lead to more than 100 new vineyards since 2010, as well as more than 100 new craft breweries.

“New York’s burgeoning craft beverage industry has served as an economic generator for communities across the state and with this legislation, we are building on that progress,” Cuomo said. “By cutting red tape, breaking down artificial barriers and rolling back arcane and burdensome regulations, we are setting the stage for this industry’s continued resurgence and future growth and I am proud to sign it into law.”

The law changes many parts of New York's alcohol laws, including:

Expand Sunday sales: The law expands Sunday sales at restaurants and bars by changing the statewide opening hours from noon to 10 a.m. In addition, the agreement enables these licensees to apply for a permit, limited to twelve per year, to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises on Sundays between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. in areas outside New York City.

Authorize the sale of wine in growlers: Previous law required that wine sold at retail for off-premises consumption be kept in their original sealed containers. The law enacts a common sense change to allow wineries to fill their customers’ growlers. In addition, the law authorizes wineries and farm wineries to allow customers to take home partially finished bottles of wine.

Reduced fees for small wholesalers: The primary business of most alcohol beverage wholesalers is selling their products to licensed retailers, such as bars, restaurants and liquor stores. However, there are currently a number of small wholesalers in New York that sell limited number of brands they import directly to large wholesalers for distribution to retailers. Under the ABC Law, these small wholesalers were required to pay the same amount for their license as their larger counterparts, with costs ranging from $1,460 for a one year beer license to $27,280 for a three year liquor wholesale license. This financial burden often required these small businesses to make a choice between continuing to hold a New York wholesale license or to relocate their business outside of New York. The law creates a low-cost “importer’s license” that is available to wholesalers who sell only to other wholesalers. These businesses may now obtain an importer’s license at a cost of only $125 a year.

Authorize gift wrapping: The law allows liquor stores to sell gift wrapping and gift bags to their customers.

Photo: Shutterstock.