California craft liquor deliveries face end as lobbying blocks extension

During the COVID‑19 pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an order that let small craft distillers—defined as producers of up to 150,000 gallons a year—ship spirits directly to customers. Temporary extensions kept the practice alive, with the latest set to expire on Dec. 31.

Legislative attempts to make the rule permanent have been thwarted by a coalition of the California wine industry, the Teamsters union and large alcohol wholesalers, which spent more than $1 million on lobbying and donated roughly eleven times that amount to state politicians. Assemblymember Josh Hoover, a Republican from Folsom, said, “I don’t have a lot of hope that we’re going to be able to salvage this,” after his amendment failed. Cris Steller, acting director of the California Distillers Association and owner of Dry Diggins Distillery, added, “They went directly to legislators’ offices and basically torpedoed any effort we came up with.” If the legislature does not act before the deadline, craft liquor deliveries could end on Jan. 1.