This French Apple Cider provides a small taste of what is coming soon. It is our understanding that TTB has no plans to require or encourage ingredient labeling, such as that on the back label here. But TTB does have big plans to require Serving Facts Labeling (similar to this Nutrition Facts labeling) someday very soon. It’s a big, important change. There is a lot of data on this back label; much of it will be required in a few years and almost none of it would have been required 20 years ago. The Government Warning arrived 20 years ago and redemption labeling (as well as the UPC) started appearing a few decades ago. This COLA is unusual because FDA (not TTB) typically has authority over wines under 7% alc./vol. (such as this cider). But here the importer noted (at box 19) “submitting for review of health warning.” TTB retains control over the Warning and the wine tax, even in those instances where general labeling jurisdiction shifts over to FDA. Some time after approval, TTB apparently decided to hand this back to FDA, as the current status of this approval is “surrendered.”
Pink Triangles, Beer, a Bottle of Pride
We thought this was a good example of target marketing, as opposed to a product like Budweiser that targets a far larger percentage of all alcohol beverage consumers. Pryde Vodka displays the historically significant pink triangle. Gay Pride beer was brewed in New Hampshire as of this 1999 approval. The third image is from a 2004 approval for Pride Lager made in California. There is very little sign, on the internet, that any of these brands are alive and well.
PimpnHo: Almond Flavored Wine
For all those occasions when Cisco or Schlitz Malt Liquor is far too classy, may we heartily recommend this fine almond flavored wine? Even if this is not a big seller in the US, this page vaguely suggests that this winery makes a similar product for export.
Whey Neutral Spirits
There is a lot going on with this label. First and most obviously, it’s in the style of a cream liqueur, but it’s classified as a wine. The back label is in the style of a front label. And it’s made with whey neutral spirits. Wikipedia says whey is “the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained; it is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein.” It is further evidence that wine and spirits can be made from a huge number of commodities. Dr. John Murtagh was an expert on converting whey into spirits:
Since 1979 John has been retained as a consultant to Carbery Distillers Ltd. of Ireland, on the development and operation of their process for the fermentation of cheese whey, to produce very-high-quality neutral spirit for beverage and industrial uses. He has also been responsible for the commissioning of three whey-alcohol plants for Carbery licensees in New Zealand and the U.S., and continues to visit and assist these plants.
The Original Hybrid: Champale
Way before the Prius and the Civic Hybrid, the original hybrid was Pink Champale. We call it a hybrid because it looks a lot like Champagne (sort of) — but it’s really beer. In tiny print, the label says it is a Malt Beverage with Natural Flavors and Artificial Color. Champale has certainly stood the test of time; the above approval is from this year and Gono.com has an excellent collection of Champale ads going all the way back to 1960. The above ad is from about 1978, and the 1962 ad refers directly to Champagne. Smirnoff Ice is a much later example of the increasingly common trend toward hybrids (it has a malt beverage base but a hugely famous spirits brand name). The beer versus wine versus spirits categorization is a critically important part of TTB’s role, because of a dramatically different excise tax on each category. In many cases (such as beers loaded up with flavors) it is very difficult to assign the product to the most appropriate category.
Two Parts Wine, One Part Kerosene, and a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
We don’t know much about Miranda Lambert, but we liked the looks of these labels. The graphic designer did a nice job of making them visually interesting, in our opinion. These Texas table wines would not be nearly as tantalizing without this impressive culmination of fonts, word choices, and graphics. This article says the singer is actively involved in running the winery, and it shows. She’s pretty busy for a 24 year old, with a winery and various Grammy Award nominations, and this e-commerce site for wines. She is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and performing on the CMA Awards in two days on ABC. On the technical side, the Kerosene COLA shows that TTB requires a bit more space around the Government Warning.
