Rules for liquor tastings
In most cases, you need a liquor licence to host or conduct liquor tastings or promotions.
Who can host liquor tastings
You need one of the following liquor licence authorities to host liquor tastings on your premises:
- takeaway authority
- grocery store authority
- liquor producer authority
- interstate retailer’s licence.
If you have a licence condition that doesn’t allow liquor tastings, you can apply to make a variation to your licence.
What you can serve
All liquor tastings must be free and limited to:
- one sample per person, per product
- maximum 30ml per sample.
You don’t need to provide food with a tasting or promotion unless this is a condition of your liquor licence.
Where they can be done
Liquor licence holders can host tastings or promotions on their premises.
To host liquor tastings elsewhere, you must apply for a special event authority.
Another liquor licence holder can host a liquor tasting and promotion on your premises, but you remain responsible for all alcohol sold, supplied and served there.
Drive-through bottle shops
If you have a takeaway authority and drive-through bottle shop, you can host a liquor tasting or promotion on your premises. You must:
- not supply liquor tastings to drivers who drove to the bottle shop
- have a store that is separate from the drive-through area
- host tastings inside the store, not outside or in the driveway
- make sure customers go past a cash register or counter when they leave
- not approach customers about the promotion or tasting, but you can display signs inviting them inside to participate.
Promotional material
If you have a liquor licence and intend to use promotional material, it must comply with the Code of Practice for the Responsible Advertising and Promotion of Liquor PDF (823.9 KB).