Virgina says it's ok for me to pour you a beer!

In late 2007, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control ruled that I couldn't pour you a beer.

To be precise, it wasn't only me, of course, but any brewery representative that was forbidden from pouring a sample of beer for a customer at a wine/beer shop or supermarket. We brewery representatives were even told not to be present when a sampling was occurring!

An exception was at any store which also held a 'restaurant' license, known in the trade as an on-premise permit.

Relief for my livelihood was needed. And it happened this past Thursday.

On 13 March 2008, Virginia Governor Kaine signed into law HB 694, sponsored by Delegate Ward Armstrong, a Democrat from House District 10 in southern Virginia. It ...

Allows gourmet shop licensees to give samples of wine or beer at tastings sponsored by the licensee for its customers for on-premises consumption. Additionally, with the consent of the licensee, farm wineries, wineries, breweries, and wholesale licensees may participate in tastings held by licensees authorized to conduct tastings, including the pouring of samples to any person to whom alcoholic beverages may be lawfully sold. The bill contains an emergency clause.

That emergency clause allowed the changes to go into effect the very second the Governor signed the bill.

When you see me next, I will pour you a beer— a one ounce sample, that is. Thank you, Delegate Ward and Governor Kaine. Yes, Virginia, there is a beery clause.

Jump here for a report of other changes to Virginia alcohol laws.