§ 31. Farm meadery license. 1. Any person may apply to the authority for a farm meadery license as provided for in this section to produce mead and braggot within this state for sale. Such application shall be in writing and verified and shall contain such information as the authority shall require. Such application shall be accompanied by a check or draft in the amount of seventy-five dollars. If the authority grants the application, it shall issue a license in such form as shall be determined by its rules. Such license shall contain a description of the licensed premises and in form and in substance shall be a license to the person therein specifically designated to produce mead and braggot in the premises therein specifically licensed.

2. A farm meadery license shall authorize the holder thereof to operate a meadery for the manufacture of New York state labelled mead and New York state labelled braggot. Such a license shall also authorize the licensee to:

(a) sell in bulk mead and braggot manufactured by the licensee to any person licensed to manufacture alcoholic beverages in this state or to a permittee engaged in the manufacture of products which are unfit for beverage use;

(b) sell or deliver mead and braggot manufactured by the licensee to persons outside the state pursuant to the laws of the place of such delivery;

(c) sell mead and braggot manufactured by the licensee to wholesalers and retailers licensed in this state to sell such mead and braggot pursuant to section thirty-three of this article, licensed farm distillers, licensed farm wineries, licensed wineries, licensed farm breweries and any other licensed farm meadery. All such mead and braggot sold by the licensee shall be securely sealed and have attached thereto a label as shall be required by section one hundred seven-a of this chapter;

(d) (i) at the licensed premises, conduct tastings of, and sell at retail for consumption on or off the licensed premises, any mead and braggot manufactured by the licensee or any New York state labelled mead or New York state labelled braggot. Provided, however, for tastings and sales for on-premises consumption, the licensee shall regularly keep food available for sale or service to its retail customers for consumption on the premises. A licensee providing the following shall be deemed in compliance with this provision: (A) sandwiches, soups or other such foods, whether fresh, processed, pre-cooked or frozen; and/or (B) food items intended to complement the tasting of alcoholic beverages, which shall mean a diversified selection of food that is ordinarily consumed without the use of tableware and can be conveniently consumed while standing or walking, including but not limited to: cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chocolates, breads, mustards and crackers. All of the provisions of this chapter relative to licensees selling mead and braggot at retail shall apply; and

(ii) operate a restaurant, hotel, catering establishment, or other food and drinking establishment in or adjacent to the licensed premises and sell at such place, at retail for consumption on the premises, mead and braggot manufactured by the licensee and any New York state labelled mead or New York state labeled braggot. All of the provisions of this chapter relative to licensees to selling mead and braggot at retail shall apply. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the licensed farm meadery may apply to the authority for a license under this chapter to sell other alcoholic beverages at retail for consumption on the premises at such establishment;

(e) sell mead and braggot manufactured by the licensee or any other licensed farm meadery at retail for consumption off the premises, at the state fair, at recognized county fairs and at farmers markets operated on a not-for-profit basis;

(f) conduct tastings of and sell at retail for consumption on or off the premises New York state labeled beer manufactured by a licensed brewery or licensed farm brewery;

(g) conduct tastings of and sell at retail for consumption on or off the premises New York state labelled wine manufactured by a licensed winery or licensed farm winery;

(h) conduct tastings of and sell at retail for consumption on or off the premises New York state labelled liquor manufactured by a licensed distiller or licensed farm distiller; provided, however, that no consumer may be provided, directly or indirectly: (i) with more than three samples of liquor for tasting in one calendar day; or (ii) with a sample of liquor for tasting equal to more than one-quarter fluid ounce; and

(i) engage in any other business on the licensed premises subject to such rules and regulations as the authority may prescribe. Such rules and regulations shall determine which businesses will be compatible with the policy and purposes of this chapter and shall consider the effect of particular businesses on the community and area in the vicinity of the farm meadery licensee.

3. (a) A farm meadery licensee may apply for a permit to conduct tastings away from the licensed premises of mead and braggot produced by the licensee. Such permit shall be valid throughout the state and may be issued on an annual basis or for individual events. Each such permit and the exercise of the privilege granted thereby shall be subject to such rules and conditions of the authority as it deems necessary.

(b) Tastings shall be conducted subject to the following limitations:

(i) tastings shall be conducted by an official agent, representative or solicitor of one or more farm meaderies. Such agent, representative or solicitor shall be physically present at all times during the conduct of the tastings; and

(ii) any liability stemming from a right of action resulting from a tasting of mead or braggot as authorized herein and in accordance with the provisions of sections 11-100 and 11-101 of the general obligations law, shall accrue to the farm meadery.

4. A licensed farm meadery holding a tasting permit issued pursuant to subdivision three of this section may apply to the authority for a permit to sell mead produced by such farm meadery, by the bottle, during such tastings in premises licensed under section sixty-four or sixty-four-a of this chapter; or apply to the authority for a permit to sell such mead and/or braggot at a premises licensed under section eighty-one or eighty-one-a of this chapter. Each such permit and the exercise of the privilege granted thereby shall be subject to such rules and conditions of the authority as it deems necessary.

5. A licensed farm meadery may, under such rules as may be adopted by the authority, sell mead and braggot manufactured by the licensee or any other licensed farm meadery at retail in bulk by the keg, cask or barrel for consumption and not for resale at a clam-bake, barbeque, picnic, outing or other similar outdoor gathering at which more than fifty persons are assembled.

6. A licensed farm meadery may apply to the authority for a license to sell beer, liquor and/or wine at retail for consumption on the premises in a restaurant owned, conducted, and operated by the licensee in or adjacent to its farm meadery. All of the provisions of this chapter relative to licenses to sell beer, liquor or wine at retail or consumption on the premises shall apply so far as applicable.

7. A farm meadery license shall authorize the holder thereof to manufacture, bottle and sell food condiments and products such as honey, mustards, sauces, jams, jellies, mulling spices and other mead related foods in addition to other such food and crafts on and from the licensed premises. Such license shall authorize the holder thereof to store and sell gift items in a tax-paid room upon the licensed premises incidental to the sale of mead and braggot. These gift items shall be limited to the following categories:

(a) non-alcoholic beverages for consumption on or off premises, including but not limited to bottled water, juice and soda beverages;

(b) food items for the purpose of complementing mead and braggot tastings, which shall mean a diversified selection of food that is ordinarily consumed without the use of tableware and can be conveniently consumed while standing or walking. Such food items shall include but not be limited to: cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chocolates, breads, baked goods, mustards and crackers;

(c) food items, which shall include locally produced farm products and any food or food product not specifically prepared for immediate consumption upon the premises. Such food items may be combined into a package containing mead and/or braggot related products;

(d) mead and braggot supplies and accessories, which shall include any item utilized for the storage, serving or consumption of mead or braggot or for decorative purposes. These supplies may be sold as single items or may be combined into a package containing mead and/or braggot;

(e) mead-making and braggot-making equipment and supplies including, but not limited to, honey, home mead-making kits, braggot-making kits, pumps, filters, yeasts, chemicals and other mead and braggot additives, bottling equipment, bottles, mead and braggot storage and fermenting vessels, barrels, and books or other written material to assist mead-makers and braggot-makers and home mead-makers and braggot-makers to produce and bottle mead and braggot;

(f) souvenir items, which shall include, but not be limited to artwork, crafts, clothing, agricultural products and any other articles which can be construed to propagate tourism within the region.

8. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, any farm meadery licensee may charge for tours of its premises.

9. The holder of a license issued under this section may operate up to five branch offices located away from the licensed farm meadery. Such locations shall be considered part of the licensed premises and all activities allowed at and limited to the farm meadery may be conducted at the branch offices. Such branch offices shall not be located within, share a common entrance and exit with, or have any interior access to any other business, including premises licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail. Prior to commencing operation of any such branch office, the licensee shall notify the authority of the location of such branch office and the authority may issue a permit for the operation of same.

10. (a) No farm meadery shall manufacture in excess of two hundred fifty thousand gallons of mead and/or braggot annually.

(b) A licensed farm meadery shall produce at least fifty gallons of mead and/or braggot annually.

11. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law or of any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto, and in addition to the activities which may otherwise be carried out by any person licensed under this section, such person may, on the premises designated in such license:

(a) produce, package, bottle, sell and deliver soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages, vitamins, and other by-products;

(b) recover carbon dioxide and yeast;

(c) store bottles, packages and supplies necessary or incidental to all such operations;

(d) package, bottle, sell and deliver wine products;

(e) allow for the premises including space and equipment to be rented by a licensed tenant mead producer for the purposes of alternation.

12. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the authority may issue a farm meadery license to the holder of a farm meadery, farm brewery, farm winery or farm distiller's license for use at such licensee's existing licensed premises. The holder of a farm meadery, farm brewery, farm winery or farm distiller's license that simultaneously holds a farm meadery license on an adjacent premises may share and use the same tasting room facilities to conduct any tastings that such licensee is otherwise authorized to conduct.

13. The authority is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this section. In prescribing such rules and regulations, the authority shall promote the expansion and profitability of mead and braggot production and of tourism in New York, thereby promoting the conservation, production and enhancement of New York state agricultural lands.

14. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, another business or other businesses may operate on the licensed premises subject to such rules and regulations as the liquor authority may prescribe. Such rules and regulations shall determine which businesses will be compatible with the policy and purposes of this chapter and shall consider the effect of particular businesses on the community and area in the vicinity of the farm meadery premises, provided however that a retailer business licensed under this chapter shall not be permitted to operate at a licensed manufacturing premises.