Statewide Reopening Plan for CA Breweries

Laurie NavasNo CommentsHome Page, Press Releases, Website Intro Message

CA has developed a statewide blueprint for “reopening.” The state is assigning counties into one of four “tiers” based on two metrics: COVID-19 case rates and test positivity. You can search your county’s status on the state’s new website here. Any brewery selling alcohol in conjunction with meals can operate under the same guidelines as a restaurant.

Below are the current tiers & your associated privileges, the state has also created this chart to help clearly communicate requirements.

Widespread (Purple) – 38 counties 

  1. Only open for outdoor dining, AND
  2. Purchase of a bona fide meal required in the same transaction as alcohol

Substantial (Red) – 9 counties 

  1. Indoor dining (25% capacity OR 100 people, whichever is fewer), AND
  2. Purchase of a bona fide meal required in the same transaction as alcohol

Moderate (Orange) – 8 counties 

  1. Indoor dining (50% capacity OR 200 people, whichever is fewer) as long as a meal is purchased in the same transaction as alcohol, OR
  2. A brewery can open outdoor dining, without a meal requirement

Minimal (Yellow) – 3 counties 

  1. Indoor dining (50% capacity) allowed, without a meal requirement

Keep in mind, county health departments still have the authority to add additional restrictions on our industry and other industries. The state is encouraging consistency with statewide orders and our hope is that we will see most counties align their local regulations with the state guidelines moving forward.

To open, your brewery/brewpub should still follow all guidelines specified in this guidance document developed by the state. Additional guidelines for our industry available under “Restaurant, wineries, bar” guidance on the CA COVID website here.

Your county’s tier assignment will be reassessed weekly, but you should expect to stay in your current tier for at least the next 21 days/3 weeks. The state has criterion for how quickly counties can move between tiers, either forward or backward. The first assessment will be on September 8 and will occur every Tuesday following.