CHAPTER 2. ALCOHOL BEVERAGE

CONTROL AND TAXATION

PART I. DEFINITIONS

§241. Definitions

The following terms have the respective meanings ascribed to them except in those instances where the context indicates a different meaning:

(1) "Alcoholic beverages" means any fluid or any solid capable of being converted into fluid, suitable for human consumption, and containing more than one-half of one percent alcohol by volume, including malt, vinous, spirituous, alcoholic or intoxicating liquors, beer, porter, ale, stout fruit juices, cider, or wine.

(a) "Beverages of low alcoholic content" means alcoholic beverages containing not more than six percent alcohol by volume.

(b) "Beverages of high alcoholic content" means alcoholic beverages containing more than six percent alcohol by volume.

(2) "Beer outlet" means a place where any person draws or removes any malt beverages from containers for sale or consumption on the premises.

(3) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of alcohol and tobacco control who shall be the assistant secretary of the office of alcohol and tobacco control in the Department of Revenue, or his duly authorized agents.

(4) "Dealer" means every person who manufactures alcoholic beverages within Louisiana for handling in Louisiana or who imports alcoholic beverages from any state, territory, possession, or foreign country for handling in Louisiana or who, not being able to prove that the tax levied by this Chapter has been previously paid, sells, offers for sale, or has in possession for sale or other handling beverages of high alcoholic content.

(5) "Dinner theater" means an establishment that is a "restaurant establishment", as defined by R.S. 26:73(C)(1), where food orders are taken and food service is provided in both a restaurant dining area and where patrons are seated to view live theatrical productions or the showing of film, still pictures, electronic or digital reproductions, or other visual reproductions.

(6) "Handle" means sell, use, distribute, store, consume, or otherwise handle.

(7) "Liquors" means all distilled or rectified alcoholic spirits, brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, and all similar distilled alcoholic beverages, including all dilutions and mixtures of one or more of the foregoing, such as liquors, cordials, and similar compounds.

(8) "Liter" means a metric unit of capacity equal to one thousand cubic centimeters at four degrees centigrade, and it is equivalent to 33.814 United States fluid ounces. For the purposes of this Part, a liter is subdivided into one thousand equal milliliters.

(9)(a) "Malt beverages containing not more than six percent alcohol by volume" means beverages obtained by alcoholic fermentation of an infusion or by a brewing process or concoction of barley or other grain, malt, sugars, and hops in water, including among other things, ale, beer, stout, porter, and the like. Malt beverages are exclusive of all "liquors" whether they be defined as intoxicating or spirituous liquors, or as alcoholic, vinous, or malt liquors, or however otherwise defined as liquors, which are produced by distillation.

(b) "Malt beverages containing more than six percent alcohol by volume" means beverages obtained by alcoholic fermentation of an infusion or by a brewing process or concoction of barley or other grain, malt, sugars, and hops in water, including among other things, ale, beer, stout, porter, and the like. Malt beverages are exclusive of all "liquors" whether they be defined as intoxicating or spirituous liquors, or as alcoholic, vinous, or malt liquors, or however otherwise defined as liquors, which are produced by distillation.

(c) For purposes of R.S. 26:287(A)(9) and (10) and 741 only, malt beverages shall mean all beverages, regardless of alcoholic content, as defined in this Paragraph and all beverages of low alcoholic content as defined in Paragraphs (16) and (17) of this Section.

(10) "Manufacturer or brewer" means any person who, directly or indirectly, personally or through any agency, person, or establishment, engages in the making, blending, rectifying, brewing, or other processing of alcoholic beverages in Louisiana or outside the state for shipments to licensed wholesale dealers within the state subject to the provisions of R.S. 26:364. A manufacturer or brewer who operates a brewing facility entirely located in the state of Louisiana may sell or serve only those products brewed at that facility to the public only at that facility for consumption on or off the premises but not for resale. The total amount of such sales to the public for any given month shall not exceed ten percent of the total amount of product brewed at that facility monthly or two hundred fifty barrels, whichever is greater. Any manufacturer or brewer who sells its products to the public pursuant to this Paragraph shall remit all state and parish or municipal sales and excise taxes to the proper tax collecting authority for all products sold to the public. A manufacturer or brewer who sells or serves its products to the public pursuant to this Paragraph, shall comply with all local zoning laws and regulations.

(11) "Microbrewer" means any person who, directly or indirectly, personally or through any agency, engages in the making, blending, rectifying, or other processing of beer or other malt beverages for retail sale in an amount not to exceed twelve thousand five hundred barrels per year.

(12) "Microbrewery" means a retail establishment wherein beer and other malt beverages are brewed in small quantities, not to exceed twelve thousand five hundred barrels per year, and where such beverages are sold at retail for consumption on or off the licensed premises.

(13) "Package house-Class B" means a place consisting of no less than five hundred square feet of public habitable area which sells alcoholic beverages in factory sealed containers for transportation and consumption off the premises and where no person is allowed to tamper with or otherwise disrupt the manufacturer's seal on or about the licensed premises.

(14) "Premises", or "premises to be licensed", means the building or that part of the building as defined in the application for the permit in which beverages of low alcoholic content are sold, except in cases where such beverages are regularly sold or served outside the building, the terms shall also include such outside area.

(15) "Retail dealer" means every person who offers for sale, exposes for sale, has in his possession for sale or distribution, or sells alcoholic beverages in any quantity to persons other than licensed wholesale or retail dealers.

(16) "Secretary" means the secretary of the Department of Revenue, or his duly authorized agents.

(17) "Sparkling wine" means champagne and any other effervescent wine charged with carbon dioxide, whether artificially or as the result of secondary fermentation of the wine within the container.

(18) "Still wine" means any noneffervescent wine, including any fortified wine, vermouth, any artificial imitation wine, any compound sold as "still wine", and any fruit juice.

(19)(a) "Wholesale dealer of malt beverages containing not more than six percent alcohol by volume" means those persons who sell malt beverages containing not more than six percent alcohol by volume and alcoholic beverages of low alcoholic content to licensed wholesale dealers or licensed retail dealers exclusively, within the state or to any person for delivery beyond the borders of the state to a licensed dealer in that state and who conduct a bona fide wholesale business and maintain a warehouse or warehouses for the storage and warehousing of malt beverages and alcoholic beverages of low alcoholic content in the area where domiciled and licensed by the state, and conduct and maintain systematic and regular solicitations, distribution, deliveries, and sales of said beverages to licensed retail dealers located within the boundary of each parish, municipality, or geographic area, as contractually defined between the wholesaler and his supplier, in which the wholesale dealer makes any sale or delivery.

(b) "Wholesale dealer of malt beverages containing more than six percent alcohol by volume" means those persons who sell malt beverages containing more than six percent alcohol by volume and alcoholic beverages of low alcoholic content to licensed wholesale dealers or licensed retail dealers exclusively, within the state or to any person for delivery beyond the borders of the state to a licensed dealer in that state and who conduct a bona fide wholesale business and maintain a warehouse or warehouses for the storage and warehousing of malt beverages and alcoholic beverages of low alcoholic content in the area where domiciled and licensed by the state, and conduct and maintain systematic and regular solicitations, distribution, deliveries, and sales of said beverages to licensed retail dealers located within the boundary of each parish, municipality, or geographic area, as contractually defined between the wholesaler and his supplier, in which the wholesale dealer makes any sale or delivery.

Acts 1989, No. 781, §1; Acts 1993, No. 111, §1; Acts 1993, No. 920, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1188, §2, eff. June 29, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 658, §2; Acts 1997, No. 1370, §4, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 2006, No. 803, §1; Acts 2010, No. 953, §1, eff. July 2, 2010; Acts 2015, No. 62, §1.