Carroll County board backs two bills to let distilleries serve food and create a 'class L' manufacturer license

The Board of License Commissioners of Carroll County on Feb. 11 voted to endorse two pieces of proposed local legislation aimed at expanding options for Maryland craft beverage manufacturers.

Jennifer Yang, speaking on behalf of several Carroll County craft producers, described two parallel efforts being pursued locally and at the state level: revising on‑premise distillery permits to explicitly allow food service (charcuterie, boxed desserts and other cold-prep items) and creating a county-level "class L" license that would permit Maryland‑licensed manufacturers (breweries, distilleries, wineries, cideries) to sell beer, wine and liquor produced by another holder of a manufacturer's license for on‑site consumption.

"We want to be able to legally be able to cut some cheese...and sell and serve nonalcoholic beverages," Yang said when summarizing the food proposal, adding that Frederick County has already adopted similar language. She said the statewide and county efforts are intended to help manufacturers diversify offerings and attract additional visitors.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about definitions, fee structure and competitive effects. One commissioner warned the proposal could blur the state’s three‑tier distribution system if not narrowly written: "This bill breaks up the 3‑tier system," said a commissioner who flagged possible unintended consequences and urged careful drafting.

Board members also questioned the proposed $250 fee in the draft Class L language as low relative to existing county license fees and recommended that the delegation clarify whether the license would be an addition to or replacement for existing county permits. Several commissioners said they would prefer the subjects be combined in a single, clearer ordinance where appropriate and that the draft explicitly reference Maryland/state manufacturer licenses rather than a general "manufacturer" definition.

After discussion, Commissioner Harmening moved that the board support both Carroll County bills with recommended wording changes (including clarifying that eligible manufacturers are those holding Maryland state manufacturer licenses) and with a preference that the measures be consolidated into one bill if feasible. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board asked staff to forward its suggested edits and fee concerns to the Carroll County delegation for consideration before final bill drafting.

What the bills would do

- Distillery food language: would add food service authorization to distillery on‑premise permits, allowing low‑complexity food service (charcuterie, boxed dessert items, cold prep) subject to health department rules. - Class L license: would allow on‑premise sale/consumption of beer, wine or liquor produced by another holder of a manufacturer's license (the board requested explicit state‑license language to avoid out‑of‑state or national brands being covered unintentionally).

Next steps

Commissioners instructed staff to forward the board’s recommendations to the county delegation and to request clearer language on definitions, fee schedules and sampling provisions before the bills advance.