Thank you so much for all of the info! I know it takes time -- thanks for sharing your experiences! Here are the responses I've received: Hi Sharon, I've had two beer tasting events at the Marcellus Library. I checked with other libraries who had Mid Michigan Breweries ( who had already done the research) and also my insurance company. As long as you do not charge, you can hold a tasting. We provided pizza and did not charge for anything. Just make sure everyone is over 21 and check ids at the door if they look young. I'll probably do it again in the future as it was a very popular and fun event. Good luck! I have heard of libraries sponsoring coloring events at a pub. We have had three tastings involving local wineries, and I would think breweries would work in a similar fashion. We have also had four beer tastings, but we use local beer experts, not a brewer. I do know the MLCC has changed some of the rules, but I have not seen anything that absolutely prohibits the involvement of wineries and breweries. (I feel compelled to say that I am not a lawyer or any other sort of expert, so please confirm what I say.) The only prohibition we’ve encountered is that representatives of the winery (or a licensed distributor) cannot pour. You have to hire your own servers—who have to have undergone some sort of training. Anyone who has worked at a bar or a restaurant has probably (or should have) undergone the training. The winery or brewery reps can offer instructional information but cannot sell at the tasting. They can tell you how and where to buy it and how much it costs, but no money can exchange hands and, obviously, no booze can exchange hands. All the wineries I have dealt with are very aware of the regulations, and I have had little problem. I have no idea if he would respond to you from this posting or not, but in case not, contact our Programming Manager here at Kent District Library. For a few years now we have had a winter series of programs called “KDaLe”. He might be able to give you some help with this. Kip Odell kodell@kdl.org 616-784-2007 (This number is our main switchboard. His extension is 2165. I’m not sure if you can dial direct or not, but when someone answers, ask for him by name and say you have a KDaLe question. J ) I forgot to mention: You can compensate neither a vintner nor a brewer beyond the purchase of the wine or beer. The regulations say that they cannot “benefit” which is where your gift certificate gets bounced. They have to volunteer. On the other hand, they cannot donate any alcohol. You must purchase it (which you may do with donated funds—we have a sponsor so we avoid using tax revenue to buy alcohol) at full price including sales tax (even if you don’t usually pay sales tax). Whether you charge for the event or it is free to attendees, you will have to file a Sales Tax form. I always submit the receipt showing I paid sales tax when I purchased the alcohol then explain in a letter that the program was, like all library programs, free and open to the public (at least that portion of the public that has attained legal drinking age). A couple of years ago we had a local brew pub demonstrate home brewing techniques at the library. After the program, the attendees were invited to drive to the brewpub for a tour and free samples. Everyone had a great time at both locations! Kalamazoo Public does a huge “Kalama-Brew” fest every January and I’m sure they would have loads of good advice for you. We recently had this type of event, and we did indeed hold it off-site at a local brewery. It was very well-received, and the first program we’ve had in recent memory that had more men than women in attendance, so we were pleased with the outcome! Good luck to you! Hi Sharon. I’m not sure if this is the same thing you are wanting to do but Delta Township District Library near Lansing used to do home brew contests and I’m pretty sure it was in the library. Robert Chartrand, who is now at East Lansing Public Library, may have set those up and would be a good person to ask about all the ins and outs. It didn’t involve a brewery but it did involve home brewing and tastings. Robert Chartrand Circulation Supervisor rchartr@cityofeastlansing.com Phone: 517.319.6943 You could contact Delta as well about it but I am just not sure if the same staff are there that did that programming. I know the East Lansing Public Library also has a fundraiser each spring called Books, Bites and Bids and they offer beer during the fundraiser which is held in the library. Not exactly the same as what you may want to plan but you may get a good bit of information from Robert since he is at ELPL now. The laws of what breweries can do are pretty strict including "giveaways" or "prizes". It is possible to offer gift certificates if you pay for them but I can't remember all the things you need to avoid labeling it as. It might be difficult for a free event. For tastings a brewery can only offer them onsite or a licensed merchant account (store). However, you should be able to get a special event permit to serve alcohol (if zoning allows). In this case you would have to buy the beer from the brewery and serve it. This is what a lot of small festivals or fundraisers do. The breweries are there but the event organizer has gotten the permit and paid for all the kegs. The permit process is online and can be a bit involved if this is a small event. It can make sense if it is a fundraiser like a small festival but it may be too much for just a demonstration. They may have made it harder for "free" events but in the past I've done some. If they scoff at free you might be able to do some sort of ticketing that gets around it. The easiest way you would be able to do this is to partner with the brewery and have them host it if that works for them. They could show brewing on the home and commercial scale and since it is on site they would be able to serve samples. We did a How To Homebrew program a couple of years ago and just used a gentleman that sells home brew supplies. There was no brewery involved. He did have a few samples of things he and some of his customers had made. We had this same issue a few years ago and decided to re-direct the program. We ended up calling it "The Science of Home Brewing" and focused on chemical reactions, fermentation, and the like. We had a panel of a high school chemistry teacher, as well as a home brewer who talked about and passed around equipment and talked about techniques, and finally a local brewery owner talk about the commercial side of brewing. The home brewer passed around different types of hops and malt, which can be sniffed and tasted (chocolate malt and roasted malt taste very different. Not a great "snack" but people were still interested in the idea and the flavors and smells.) I think an off-site event is a great idea, though, if it is possible. Meet at the local brewery and have them give people tours and do a talk about brewing. We have a book club that meets at our local brewery, and it is one of our best-attended discussion groups. We are planning a presentation by a brew pub and they will have a slides only showing. We thought we could give out "attendance sheets" that they could then take to the brewery and they would give them a discount on the first beer purchased. Does this cross any boundaries, that you know of? We held a program much like what you’re wishing to do, but with no tasting. Instead, the brewery showed the different stages of brewing with the contents in mason jars. They also had different types of hops so people could smell them. It was very interesting and much enjoyed by the public. We have had a winery come to do a program and talk about the process of making wine. There was no alcohol involved. But, we did do a tour of a local Brewery with tastings afterwards. It worked really nice because they got some extra business from the tour and patrons got to see the “behind the scenes” of the beer making process. They have a bar attached so people stayed for dinner. It was well attended and having it off the library site didn’t seem to hinder attendance. Hello! Oh the darn laws of this land! HA! If I had a brewpub directly in our community, I would hold the event there, and see if there is still interest. I would imagine people would still attend an off-site event. I think it's a great idea, and I'm sad it won't work for you! Could you do the program at the brewery? We have several programs at our local brewery and the winery also, including trivia nights, banned book club, and informational presentations with tastings of the differences in hops. I would love to know the results of your findings regarding the "How to home brew" program. We have a new local brewery that just opened up and I am friends with the owners, so I know this is something they would love to do in coordination with us. We have already talked about doing a "Babes, Books, and Brews" book club in the summer months. This would take place at the brewery and after library hours (off the clock, so I can indulge in a good brew). We love to tie in local businesses with our library programming. -- Sharon Crotser-Toy Director *Watervliet District Library* 333 N. Main Street Watervliet, MI 49098 269-463-6382 Connects People, Inspires Ideas, Transforms Lives