Onyx Spirits Wants State to Change Liquor Laws to Benefit Small Businesses

The following is a press release from the Onyx Spirits Company: 

Onyx Spirits Company has announced it is working alongside Connecticut state legislators to change a law in the State of Connecticut liquor regulations. The new statute would allow the company to offer tastings of the Connecticut made Onyx Moonshine on the premises of their East Hartford-based distillery.    

Currently, the state liquor regulations allow for on-premise product sampling if the producer is a winery or brewery, but there are no stipulations that allow for the tasting of spirits made in the state. 

“To be competitive with surrounding states, we need to update our laws to allow for customers and visitors to our distillery to taste our moonshine when they’re here,” says Onyx Spirits Co. co-founder Adam von Gootkin. “We’d like to invite both the people of Connecticut and visitors to the state to see how Onyx Moonshine is made, and they want to be able to taste it during their visit.  Hopefully, they’ll then buy a bottle at one of Connecticut’s liquor stores.  It’s a win for the state, for the people, for our customers, and for our small company.”

The bill, HB 6211, has been sponsored by multiple State Representatives and Senators. It was approved by the General Law committee and must pass through the House of Representatives and the Senate before it can be presented to the Governor for approval.

This comes during a turbulent time for state legislation changes in Connecticut’s liquor industry.  Onyx Spirits Company has vocally opposed a bill that would repeal the minimum pricing laws in Connecticut, which would prevent products, such as Onyx Moonshine and other craft spirits, from being available in many package stores in the state. 

Onyx co-founder Adam von Gootkin is the President of the Connecticut Small Brand Council, made up of small manufacturers and wholesalers of wine and spirits.  It was founded in response to attempts to repeal minimum pricing, and other similarly destructive laws, that would negatively impact Connecticut’s market for small businesses.