Committee backs bill to let licensees sell private-barrel spirits bottles for customers to take home

Summary

Senate Bill 185, presented by Representative Williams, would allow license holders to sell a single bottle of a private-labeled spirit purchased from a Delaware-licensed importer when the product is limited in availability. Sponsors and supporters said the change fits within existing off-premise provisions and was vetted with industry stakeholders.

Representative Williams told the committee that Senate Bill 185 would allow license holders to sell one bottle of a private-labeled spirit purchased from a Delaware licensee/importer when the barrel or allocation is limited, closing a gap that currently allows only in-person pours but not take-home bottle sales. Williams said the authority is placed "squarely within the existing off premises to go section of title 4," and that the bill respects the states alcohol distribution framework without changing production or wholesaling.

Williams cited support from local stakeholders including the Delaware Asian American Business Association and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and thanked Alcoholic Beverage Commissioner Jackie Mehta for her work on the measure. The sponsor also noted that the senate had previously passed the bill unanimously.

There were no public commenters for the bill; a committee member moved to release the bill and, following a roll-call vote, the clerk announced the bill had received the required number of votes and was released from committee. The sponsor and committee said the bill is intended to help small downtown businesses and tourism by letting visitors purchase a unique Delaware-based product to take home.