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Legislation passed in the Illinois House today by State Representative Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) sets up distillery licenses for craft distilleries across Illinois. 


Currently in Illinois craft beer and wine pubs are allowed to transfer and sell their spirits at different physical locations they own without going through a distributor. This allows them to brew their beer in a more affordable industrial location yet sample and sell it at more urban locations accessible to the masses.


Beer and wine producers are allowed to sell alcohol from other producers in their tasting rooms; giving consumers more reason to stick around and increasing tap room sales.



Small producers of beer and wine also enjoy the financial benefit of self-distribution until they are large enough to strike a deal with a distributor.


Warehousing product is yet another sticking point for distillers as their options for storing spirits is severely restricted when compared to other alcohol producers.

This legislation will put craft distillers on a similar level.



The bill was approved on a vote of 108–2 and now moves on to the Senate.