Emerging Legal Issues Affecting the Alcohol Sector in West Virginia

Please join us for an online webinar on updates to the alcohol sector in West Virginia. The CLE portion will be presented by Chuck Johnson, a Member with Frost Brown Todd, LLC (see bio) and Anoop Bhasin, General Counsel for the WV Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (see bio). After the CLE session, there will be a voluntary virtual tasting and presentation of selected craft beers, hosted by Charles Bockway and Erin McCoy of Brilliant Stream (go to website).

Program Description: The alcohol industry, especially the craft spirits sector, continues to grow amidst a complex web of legal and regulatory requirements. During the pandemic, there was considerable stress upon the industry and consumer alike, underscoring the need for innovation in the industry, and a resulting in a compelling case for reform of the laws and regulations governing alcohol manufacturing and distribution.

This seminar will provide an overview for the lawyer that represents craft spirits manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and restaurants in regulatory and business advice, litigation, and government relations as to the legal issues and challenges affecting the burgeoning alcohol industry, including:

Overview of the Three-Tier System
Expansion of Craft Spirits Manufacturing
Overview of Licensure Requirements
Response of the Industry and of Regulators to COVID-19
Recent Case Developments in Case Law
The Future of Distribution Agreements and the Three-Tier System
IP issues for the Alcohol Sector
Special Events
Legislative Agenda and the Alcohol Industry

After the CLE session, there will be a voluntary virtual tasting of craft beers from West Virginia hosted by Charles Bockway and Erin McCoy of Brilliant Stream, a podcast that keeps craft spirits industry and enthusiasts alike abreast of significant developments and events in the West Virginia craft sprits sphere. A selection of four WV-made beers will be presented with taste and appearance descriptions, in addition to each beer's story and significance to the WV beer market.

Beer Tasting Program

You do not have to purchase the beers in order to enjoy the tasting program. Interesting facts and information on each beer, its brewery, and how it fits into the West Virginia beer market will be provided—information you will hopefully find useful to your future beer enjoyment.

If you want to sample beer along with the tasting program, purchase one or more of the beers on the list and have it chilled and ready to go. Here is the tasting order.

Logger Lager. Big Timber Brewing Company, Elkins
Devil Anse IPA. Greenbrier Valley Brewing, Maxwelton
Cell Block 304 Brown Ale. Parkersburg Brewing Company, Parkersburg
There Gose the Neighborhood. Freefolk Brewery, Fayetteville

All these beers are available in cans at beer retailers, and some retailers will sell you single cans. The first two beers are widely available at grocery, convenience, liquor, and drug stores that sell beer. Cell Block 304 is available in many larger stores or beer specialty retailers but less widely distributed than the first two. Beer #4 is harder to find. It is a very limited release, sold mostly at beer retailers specializing in craft beer and mostly in the Charleston-Huntington area and around Morgantown.

This event is FREE for WV Bar Association members (members still need to register by using the promotional code that was provided in the separate WV Bar Association email) and only $10 for non-WV Bar Association members. To join or renew your WV Bar Association dues, click here.

This event has qualified for 1 hour of WV CLE credit.

Schedule of Events:

4:00 p.m. - Welcome
4:05 p.m. - Presentation by Chuck Johnson and Anoop Bhasin
5:00 p.m. - Presentation by Charles Bockway and Erin McCoy (not included in CLE portion)