White Rabbit general manager admits labeling error; board imposes fine, training and probation

The Frederick County Liquor Board on Aug. 10 accepted an admission from White Rabbit Gastropub that staff stored infused alcoholic beverages beyond the five‑day limit set by county regulation 6.14 and imposed sanctions including a reduced fine, a mandatory violation‑prevention class and one year of probation.

Board staff said inspectors found roughly 16 containers of infused alcohol with "made on" dates ranging from June 18–21; one container lacked any date. Director Dawn Sugars described the county rule as a public‑safety measure tied to the fact that establishments without rectifier licenses do not manufacture alcohol and "we don't know what's in that bottle," a concern she said justifies tight storage limits.

Larry Fellows, the establishment's general manager, acknowledged mistakes in staff procedure and described operational fixes: "So the buck stops here," Fellows said, outlining disciplinary write‑ups for managers, pausing the batching program, new standard operating procedures for weekend batching, and adoption of a checklist app to track dates and disposals. The board voted 3–0 to impose a $500 fine (with administrative fee), require registration for a $200 violation‑prevention class by the deadline the board set, and place the license on one year probation with a 'must‑appear' trigger for serious new infractions. Staff will follow up with payment and registration instructions.

The board emphasized the educational goal of the sanctions and warned that future infractions could draw stiffer penalties, including mandatory appearances and higher fines.