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Board presses licensees on training, labeling and storage after inspections find unlabeled infusions and open bottles
Summary
Inspectors reported cases of unlabeled infusions and a first identified instance of illicit alcohol after operators decanted premixed boxed cocktails; board discussed raising training requirements, tracking serving employees at renewals and enhancing inspection checks for open bottles and undocumented stock.
Frederick County liquor inspectors told the board May 11 they are seeing more unlabeled 'infusions' and an instance where premixed boxed cocktail was decanted into a decanter without labeling — a practice that can create an illicit‑alcohol record problem and safety concerns.
"You cannot remove it from an original container and... once you remove it from the original packaging, you now have lost all your content information," an inspector explained while reviewing examples the team encountered. Inspectors said they are educating licensees, issuing warnings and, in some cases, offering conferences before formal charges are filed.
The board debated how to make remedial training practical when establishments face high employee turnover. Staff suggested collecting the number of employees who serve alcohol on renewal forms and setting a minimum number or percentage of those employees who must complete alcohol‑awareness training after a violation. Staff also noted problems with open or unrecorded bottles and told licensees to document and either discard or return unrecorded stock rather than leave open bottles at registers or behind desks; an inspector credited Tabitha with catching a case of two tequila bottles that were not on receipts.
Board members asked staff to add clearer tracking on renewal applications and to return proposals for a minimum training threshold and validation method at a future hearing. Staff said they will continue to educate operators and reserve formal enforcement for repeated or egregious violations.
