Craft Spirits at Risk from Big Industry | Los Angeles News

Craft distillers face an uphill battle as California’s six-year-old direct-to-consumer spirit delivery program hangs in the balance—set to expire December 31 unless lawmakers act. Fueled by over $1 million in lobbying this year alone, powerful industry players—including wine giants, Teamsters, and big distributors—are pushing back, claiming the rules were pandemic-era flukes and demanding unionized shipping. Outspent and outmaneuvered, small-batch distillers argue they’re being crushed by corporate influence as alcohol sales dip nationwide. Despite Assemblymember Josh Hoover’s bill passing committees quietly, behind-the-scenes resistance and massive campaign spending suggest victory is unlikely—with the legislative session ending soon, craft spirits may lose their door-to-door future. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9e714d9902bd3c84 Presented by The Plant Daddies — rare specimen trees, living art, and hand-carved limestone vessels and fountains for extraordinary spaces. Showrooms in Los Angeles and Irvine. Listeners of Los Angeles News Today receive 10% off with code LANEWS10. theplantdaddies.com/lanews