Summer has arrived and your customers are enjoying your delicious beverages. You may be thinking that it is time to diversify beverage options by adding something new for the fall. Getting the flavors just right can be a challenge, and having the added hurdle of maneuvering the system to get your drinks Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approved can be intimidating for first time producers. This is not a complete guide to getting a beverage TTB approved, but with over 100 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, we are here to help your business. There are additional resources on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website as well as on the Brewers Association Website.
What Beverages Need to be TTB Approved?
If you are producing non-alcoholic beverages, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages do not require that flavored products be TTB approved. Keep in mind that drinks and other flavored products do need to comply with all necessary industry standards and labeling requirements, but you will not have to worry about meeting TTB guidelines.
If your business is producing an alcoholic beverage, it is important to make sure that you follow the TTB guidelines for the production of alcohol. Both beer and distilled spirits are required to file a permit in order to begin producing a new flavored beverage. There is no fee to apply for a permit and wait for approval before brewing or distilling; it is crucial to do so in order to comply with TTB Regulation. This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a over month to complete.
TTB Regulations
Following through on the TTB regulations is another important part of getting your beverage to be TTB approved. Make sure that your product is in compliance with the requirements set forth by the TTB and that you have the equipment necessary to produce your beverages correctly.
One of the most crucial aspects to making a beverage TTB approved is using a TTB approved flavoring. While natural flavorings give a great amount of flavor and ease to the production of beverages, using a synthetically produced flavoring gives you the consistency needed to keep winning your customers back. At Northwestern Extract we offer more than 50 different TTB approved flavors, each of which are designed to give great flavor in your finished beverages.
TTB Approval and Beer Products
Once you have finished production of your flavored drink or other flavored product it is important to make sure that the labels accurately reflect the flavorings used and that you are in compliance with all of the TTB labeling guidelines for beer and for beverages with malt claims or for any other beverage that you may make this summer.
By making sure that products are TTB approved you can open brewing and distilling lines to the possibility of exploring a new market. Becoming TTB approved is not as strenuous as it may seem, and we can help find the right flavors to push your product to the top of customer’s favorites list. Give us a call today and we can walk you through many question you might have regarding getting TTB approved.
