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Subtitle: and now we know what grains are!
On February 9 (2022), the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States published a(nother) final rule regarding the modernization of the labeling and advertising regulations for wine, distilled spirits, and malt beverages. This new ruling clarifies and expands upon some of the changes that were initially made in “phase 1” of the rule, issued back in April of 2020.
While dedicated students of distilled spirits (and malt beverages) might want to read the entirety of the rule, here are a few of the more significant updates:
- The definition of “grains” as used in the production whisky/whiskey and other grain spirits has (at long last) been finalized. Now, we can easily point to the official TTB definition of grains, and it reads as follows: Grains—Includes cereal grains and the seeds of the pseudo-cereals amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa.
- For the laypeople among us, the dictionary definition of “grain” typically reads as follows: Any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran). The most widely cultivated grains in the world include wheat, barley, oats, rye, millet, corn (maize), triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye), rice, and sorghum.
- Removing some restrictions on the use of pictures of the American flag on product labels
- Revising the production category (Standard of Identity) for “Distilled Spirits—Specialty Products.” This is a category that allows those spirits that fall outside of the other (more specifically defined) categories to be legally labeled and distributed. The type of spirits that will utilize this category are typically those that include additives (caramel coloring, sugar, flavoring, etc.) that are not allowed under a more specific classification. These specialty spirits are allowed to use “distinctive or fanciful names.”
- For the record, the Standards of Identity now include 13 spirit categories, as follows: Neutral Spirits (includes vodka), Whisky, Gin, Brandy, Blended Applejack, Rum, Agave Sprits, Absinthe, Cordials & Liqueurs, Flavored Sprits, Imitation Spirits, Diluted Spirits, and Distilled Spirits—Specialty Products.
P.S. Heads up, wine lovers! The “small print” of this press relates includes the following statement: “This final rule reorganizes parts 5 (distilled spirits) and 7 (malt beverages) of the regulations, as proposed in the NPRM. We plan to publish a revised part 4 (wine) in the future.”
References/for more information:
- https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/26/2018-24446/modernization-of-the-labeling-and-advertising-regulations-for-wine-distilled-spirits-and-malt
- https://www.ttb.gov/press/press-release-fy-22-5
Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org