Board approves resident-agent change and licensee additions for Overseas Distillery

The Howard County Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board on Jan. 28, 2025 approved a change of resident agent and addition of licensees for Overseas Distillery LLC, which holds a seven-day on-site consumption permit for its distillery venue on Snowdon River Parkway. The board recorded a unanimous vote to approve the requested changes; the applicants waived the right to appeal at the hearing.

Applicants presented Andrew Liang (operations manager), owner Yan Zhang and chief distiller Brett Kimbrough as authorized persons for the company. Board members were told that the prior resident agent, Zhi Chung Liu (also known as Alex), is leaving the company and ownership interests are being reallocated so that Zhang and Kimbrough will be listed on the permit.

Brett Kimbrough described his experience in the alcohol industry and told the board he is certified in alcohol-awareness training through 2028 and has no record of alcohol violations while managing establishments. Kimbrough said the distillery produces bourbon, single-malt whiskey, vodka, rum and on-site liqueurs; the operation currently distributes gin purchased via a federal "transfer in bond" arrangement. He described storage and security procedures: alcohol is kept in bond and a locked cage prior to release, then stored behind the service bar in employee-only locations; managers with keys and alcohol certification control access.

Kimbrough told the board the distillery requires government photo ID for anyone who appears under age 40 and that staff evaluate customers' apparent age and level of sobriety at point of order. "I understand that whenever the distillery is open to the public, an alcohol certified person must be on duty in the building," Kimbrough said.

Yan Zhang said she is a 40% owner of Overseas Distillery, that she visits frequently with family, and that she holds an alcohol certificate valid through 2027. Zhang said the distillery operates Tuesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., serves food via an on-site food truck and hosts live music and other events on weekends. Andrew Liang, the operations manager, said he took operational responsibility on Dec. 31 and will complete Maryland certification promptly; Liang described the front-of-house as event-focused, with roughly 300 seats across two bars and a mezzanine and a program of community and private events booked within the limits of the on-site consumption permit.

Board members asked about staffing, certification and the scope of on-site events. Members noted Kimbrough's industry experience and Liang's presence as positive operational controls. The board approved the change to list Brett Kimbrough and Yan Zhang on the permit for the distillery at the Snowdon River Parkway address; vote was unanimous and applicants waived appeal rights.

The record includes applicant paperwork asserting the change of resident agent and evidence of training, production and storage procedures. The board closed deliberations and congratulated the applicants; the board also expressed best wishes for the applicant's attorney, who was absent due to an unexpected medical procedure.