Who can sell food containing alcohol?

May 22, 2005 9:52 PM

What does the law say about selling food containing alcohol? Would a store need a liquor license to sell a dessert made with, say, rum? Is there a difference between food containing liquor versus beer or wine? Do these rules vary by state?
posted by medpt to Food & Drink (5 answers total)

Alcohol sales regulations vary by state. I expect it would also depend upon whether the food still contains alcohol. In many cases even though one of the ingredients is some sort of alcohol the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process.
posted by Carbolic at 10:03 PM on May 22, 2005

I have a friend who has sold liquor-containing chocolates in Kansas and Oregon. In Kansas, her employer required a liquor license. In Oregon, no license required. Backs up what Carbolic says about this being a state-by-state decision.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 10:21 PM on May 22, 2005

Just about everything related to alcohol is a state-by-state issue in the US.
posted by aramaic at 6:53 AM on May 23, 2005

It's not even as simple as state-by-state. In Texas, each county and even some municipalities have their own quirky laws regarding liquor, beer, wine, and amaretto crumb cakes.
posted by mds35 at 9:20 AM on May 23, 2005

Regulations on food content and food sales do vary state-by-state. In fact, if the food being sold never leaves the state (an in-state food producer selling in-state only), then state (and local, if any) regulations are pretty much the only relevant ones. The feds tend to care (and clearly have jurisdiction) when food crosses state lines.
posted by WestCoaster at 5:29 PM on May 23, 2005