Product Formulation - Alcohol Beverages & Products

Many alcohol beverage products cannot be sold until their ingredients and formulation are reviewed and approved by the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB).  Our Firm counsels many producers on product processes and formulation, helping them to comply with the law and maximize tax, marketing and distribution benefits affected by product formulation.  The Alcohol Beverages and Products Group has extensive experience with flavored malt beverages, formula wines, distilled spirit specialties and other non-traditional products.  Our staff routinely submits formula applications (formerly kown as statement process for Beer), statements of process and pre-import analysis requests to TTB and works diligently to address TTB concerns in order to facilitate timely approvals.  Finally, working alone or with our Food and Beverage Group lawyers, our Group tackles cutting-edge formulation issues such as organic food standards and the use of biotech and other novel ingredients.

Many alcohol beverage products cannot be sold until their ingredients and formulation are reviewed and approved by the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB).   Our Alcohol Beverages and Products Group counsels many producers on product processes and formulation, helping them to comply with the law and maximize tax, marketing and distribution benefits affected by product formulation.   The group has extensive experience with flavored malt beverages, formula wines, distilled spirit specialties and other non-traditional products.   Our staff routinely submits formula applications, statements of process and pre-import analysis requests to TTB, and works diligently to address TTB concerns in order to facilitate timely approvals.   Finally, working alone or with our U.S. Food and Drug Administration lawyers, our group tackles cutting-edge formulation issues, such as organic food standards and the use of biotech and other novel ingredients.

Representative Product Formulation Experience in the Alcohol Area:

  • Represent a large flavored malt beverage manufacturer challenging a state’s attempt to reclassify its products as distilled spirits, convincing the state to stay further proceedings and accept the status quo until legislation mooted the issue.
  • Defend a wine supplier in federal and state proceedings arising from allegations that one of the company’s wine products did not qualify as wine under applicable federal and state statutory standards.
  • Secure product formula and label approvals from TTB for numerous cutting-edge alcohol beverage products, such as malt beverages containing novel ingredients, wine products containing non-grape spirits and low-calorie and low-carb alcohol beverages.
  • Secure federal approval of a new brewing enzyme for first-time use by a domestic brewer.
  • Counsel several alcohol beverage companies on federal policies regarding the use of genetically modified organisms in the production of beer and distilled spirits.
  • Advise several companies on federal and state policies toward the formulation of flavored malt beverage products.

Contacts

Alcohol Beverages & Products Client Services

McDermott Will & Emery

McDermott Will and Emery