(a) Upon proper application and subject to the applicable provisions, restrictions and prohibitions of this title, the Commissioner may grant a license to any person who is the owner or lessee of a craft distillery to manufacture and sell spirits. (b) For purposes of this section, "craft distillery" shall mean a single establishment in which spirits are manufactured and which is operated by the licensee in accordance with this section. (c) Notwithstanding any provision of this title to the contrary, a craft distillery license allows the licensee to do all of the following: (1) Manufacture, on the licensed premises, and sell not more than 750,000 proof gallons of distilled spirits in a calendar year. (2) Manufacture spirits, on the licensed premises, for persons other than the licensee who are licensed under this title or for persons outside this State. (3) Sell, deliver, and ship such spirits in labeled barrels, bottles, or other closed containers to persons licensed under this title to import spirits; and sell and ship spirits to persons outside of this State in accordance with this title. (4) Store and sell spirits on the premises by the bottle or by the glass for consumption on or off the premises where sold; and to purchase alcoholic beverages from licensed Delaware importers or package stores to add to product manufactured by the craft distillery to sell to patrons for on-premises consumption only. The amount of spirits sold for off-premises consumption must be limited to a maximum of 1 case (12 750-milliliter bottles) per day to each retail customer for consumption off the premises. (5) Purchase and store product from a Delaware licensed importer or package store licensed under § 516 of this title, and sell the product to its retail customers for consumption on the premises where sold, so long as the product is manufactured by an entity that holds a Delaware license under § 512A, § 512B, § 512C, or § 512E of this title or the manufacturer, as determined by the Commissioner, would qualify for a license under 1 or more of these sections if the manufacturer were physically located in this State. (6) Sell, on the licensed premises, food items, souvenirs, spirit-related supplies, and educational material as approved by the Commissioner. (d) It shall be unlawful for a person to operate a craft distillery if: (1) The license is denied, canceled, suspended or revoked for any of the grounds contained in § 543 or § 561 of this title; (2) The establishment is moved to a location other than the licensed premises; or (3) It is owned, operated or affiliated with any importer of alcoholic liquor, either in or without this State; except that the holder of a craft distillery license may have an interest in, be affiliated with, operate, or own in common ownership a microbrewery, farm winery, and/or brewery-pub licensed under this chapter and actually located within this State. (e) A craft distillery licensee shall be exempt from the distance requirements for establishments licensed or to be licensed as contained in § 543(d) of this title, and such requirements shall not affect the granting of a craft distillery license. (f) All spirits sold by a craft distillery licensee for off-premise consumption shall be in containers which are securely sealed and have attached thereto a label setting forth such information as required by this title, Commissioner rules and laws of the State. (g) Any craft distillery licensed by the Commissioner to manufacture spirits in this State may provide tastings of the spirits at said premises pursuant to a spirits tasting license granted by the Commissioner pursuant to § 525 of this title. (h) The provisions of § 546 of this title to the contrary notwithstanding, the sale for off-premises consumption at up to a combined total of 3 licenses licensed under this section, § 512A, § 512B, or § 512C of this title all owned or controlled by the same person shall be permitted. (i) A craft distillery licensee shall be authorized to purchase and receive shipments of unfinished neutral grain spirit in bulk form from suppliers and importers located within and without the State that are licensed in accordance with this title. (j) A craft distillery licensee shall be authorized to export unfinished spirit manufactured in this State in bulk to persons within or outside the State for blending, aging, finishing, bottling or labeling and shall be authorized to receive the finished product from that person. (k) A craft distillery shall be exempt from the prohibition of sales on Sundays as proscribed in § 709 of this title, but any sales on Sundays shall be limited to the hours during which the holders of licenses for the sale of spirits in a store may sell on Sundays pursuant to § 709 of this title. A craft distillery shall remain closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. (l) The Commissioner may promulgate such rules and regulations with respect to the enforcement or furtherance of the objectives and provisions of this section as the Commissioner may deem necessary, and all such rules and regulations that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this title shall have the force and effect of law. (m) The provisions of § 506 of this title to the contrary notwithstanding, the holder of a craft distillery license may have an interest in, be affiliated with, or own another supplier or manufacturer, whether located inside or outside this State.
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