[Sca-cooks] importing liquer across state lines

[Stefan li Rous]

Bear commented:
> Liquor distribution is regulated by the states, so in general, it is illegal
> for a producer to directly ship their product to the consumer other than
> through the commercial distribution channels.  It is also illegal to sell
> alcohol without paying the appropriate state tax.

Yes, this has come up here recently in Texas because folks have been
wanting to be able to buy wines and such through the Internet. The
wineries and such could collect the taxes owed the states and then
send that to the appropriate state. Apparently the big sticking
point is that most of the liquer in Texas currently passes through
(or must pass through?) just a small handful of distributors. They
of course, don't want to be cut out of the money mill and have been
lobbying and buying legislative support to keep their near-monopoly
on this. Unfortunately, at this time, I don't see enough ground swell
of support to overcome the distribution lobbying, so I don't think
this will change soon. :-(

--
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris            Austin, Texas          stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****