53-123.14.

Craft brewery license; rights of licensee; self-distribution; conditions.

(1) Any person who operates a craft brewery shall obtain a license pursuant to the Nebraska Liquor Control Act. A license to operate a craft brewery shall permit the production of a maximum of twenty thousand barrels of beer per year in the aggregate from all physical locations comprising the licensed premises. A craft brewery may also sell to beer wholesalers for sale and distribution to licensed retailers. A craft brewery license issued pursuant to this section shall be the only license required by the Nebraska Liquor Control Act for the manufacture and retail sale of beer for consumption on or off the licensed premises, except that the sale of any beer other than beer manufactured by the craft brewery licensee, wine, or alcoholic liquor by the drink for consumption on the licensed premises shall require the appropriate retail license. Any license held by the operator of a craft brewery shall be subject to the act. A holder of a craft brewery license may obtain an annual catering license pursuant to section 53-124.12, a special designated license pursuant to section 53-124.11, an entertainment district license pursuant to section 53-123.17, or a promotional farmers market special designated license pursuant to section 53-124.16. For purposes of this section, licensed premises may include up to five separate physical locations.

(2)(a) A holder of a craft brewery license may directly sell for resale up to two hundred fifty barrels per calendar year of beer produced at its licensed premises directly to retail licensees located in the State of Nebraska which hold the appropriate retail license if the holder of the craft brewery license:

(i) Only self-distributes its beer in a territory in which the craft brewery licensee has not entered into a distribution agreement with a licensed Nebraska wholesaler for the territory where such retail licensee is located;

(ii) Self-distributes its beer utilizing only persons exclusively and solely employed by the craft brewery licensee in vehicles exclusively and solely owned or leased by the craft brewery licensee; and

(iii) Complies with all relevant statutes, rules, and regulations that apply to Nebraska beer wholesalers regarding distribution of such beer.

(b) A holder of a craft brewery license self-distributing beer in accordance with subdivision (2)(a) of this section may only self-distribute beer brewed at its licensed brewery premises and shall not distribute beer produced by any other licensee.

(3) A holder of a craft brewery license may store and warehouse tax-paid products produced on such licensee's licensed premises in a designated, secure, offsite storage facility if the holder of the craft brewery license receives authorization from the commission and notifies the commission of the location of the storage facility and maintains, at the craft brewery and at the storage facility, a separate perpetual inventory of the product stored at the storage facility. Consumption of alcoholic liquor at the storage facility is strictly prohibited.

(4) The commission may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations pertaining to distribution rights of craft brewery licensees.