Alcohol Beverage Services Launches Annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Lotteries

Montgomery County’s Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) has kicked off the fall season with its annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection lottery—but with a slight modification from past years.

For the first time, a separate licensee lottery will be open to Montgomery County alcohol license-holders that are authorized to sell spirits on their premises. The licensee lottery will run at the same time as the resident lottery and will boost the availability of allocated items available by the glass in the County.

The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) lotteries are free to enter and are only open to Montgomery County residents and ABS license-holders, depending on the category. All ABS lotteries are designed as random-number drawings that provide an opportunity to purchase highly sought after, rare spirits. Entrants must be 21 years old to qualify for the lottery and to purchase alcohol. For details on how to enter, visit the ABS website.

Registration for the BTAC lotteries will be open through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20. After the lotteries close, random drawings will be conducted and winning numbers will be posted online by Monday, Oct. 28.

More details on how to enter are available from the ABS website.

Department of Liquor Control Gets New Name

The County’s Department of Liquor Control officially changed the name to Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) on July 1.

The new name reflects the department’s continued improvements to the ongoing business model, which modernizes and embraces the department’s commitment to customer service.

The rebranding spotlights the strategic business changes such as investments in new technology and infrastructure and streamlined updated processes that elevate customer services and communication.

ABS better defines the department’s work. The use of “alcohol beverage” was chosen over “liquor” because the department sells beer and wine in addition to liquor as part of its wholesale and retail operations.

The use of “services” instead of “control” emphasizes the customer service-oriented relationships the County department has worked hard to cultivate.

The department’s rebranding also includes a new tagline: A Business of Montgomery County Government.

The Maryland General Assembly approved the name change in its 2019 session.

More information is available on the department’s website.

Whiskey Rocks Event Sets Single-Day Sales Record

The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) set a one-day store record of more than $116,000 in sales during the Whiskey Rocks celebration on June 14, which was held at the Burtonsville retail store located at 15620 Old Columbia Pike.

The whiskey celebration attracted hundreds of customers to taste and purchase hard to find whiskey products. Dozens of customers lined up the day before the event to be at the front of the line when the retail store opened.

Some of the sought-after whiskeys available for purchase at this event included: Elijah Craig 18-Year, Michter’s Barrel Strength, Mister Sam Tribute, Blood Oath Pact No. 5 and Old Fitzgerald 13-Year Bottled-in-Bond.

In addition, the Whiskey Rocks celebration featured tastings, raffles, a free lunch sponsored by Buffalo Trace, free seminars and special barrel releases that kept consumers engaged throughout much of the day. The night before the event, Dogfish Head Alehouse hosted a whiskey dinner at its Gaithersburg location, which was billed as part of the DLC’s Whiskey Rocks event.

All profits earned by the DLC are transferred to the Montgomery County General Fund supporting police and fire, transportation projects and other public services that tax dollars would otherwise fund.

The next Whiskey Rocks events is planned for January of 2020. To receive updates about upcoming DLC events, product lotteries and sales, visit the DLC’s website. 

Department of Liquor Control Hosts Whiskey Rocks on Friday, June 14

The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) is hosting its biannual Whiskey Rocks celebration from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 14 at the Burtonsville Liquor & Wine store located at 15620 Old Columbia Pike. 

The event features several highly sought after but hard to find items for purchase. These allocated items will be offered for purchase to anyone age 21 or older, on a first-come, first-serve basis, at random drawings and during specific release times during the event.

The Whiskey Rocks celebration will also include special releases of an expanded barrel program, three complimentary seminars and a Dogfish Head Whiskey dinner the night before.

Visit the DLC website for details.

Department of Liquor Control to Offer Bell’s Brewery Beers

The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) will welcome Bell’s Brewery products to its inventory this month. Inventory will include Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Amber Ale and Oberon Ale.  

The American Homebrewers Association voted Bell’s Brewery’s Two Hearted Ale the Best Beer in America last summer, for the second year in a row. The growing brewery expanded sales to most of Maryland during the summer of 2015. 

Starting this month Bell’s Brewery products will be available for order by the nearly 1,100 private businesses in Montgomery County and at DLC’s 25 retail stores. 

For more information about the DLC, visit its website.  

SAVE THE DATE: Student Winners of ‘Keeping It Safe’ Video Contest to be Honored on May 1

The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) will announce the seven student winners of its annual Keeping it Safe (KIS) video contest at a ceremony on Wednesday, May 1, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Montgomery County’s Public Safety Headquarters, located at 100 Edison Park Drive in Gaithersburg.

The DLC received 44 submissions from middle and high school groups who created 30-second public service announcements to educate students about the risks of underage drinking. In addition to trophies and award certificates, the winners will receive cash prizes of up to $1,000 for their schools. The winning videos will be distributed at schools, posted on YouTube and shared with several local television channels.

Founded in 1992, KIS is a coalition of County departments, local organizations and concerned residents who work together to deter underage alcohol use and reduce access of alcohol to youth. For more information about the KIS coalition, and to view last year’s winning videos, visit the KIS website.

Montgomery County Departments of Liquor Control and Police Relaunched the “I/We Take It Personally” Drunk-Driving Prevention Public Awareness Campaign

The fall season of celebrations has begun and quickly leads into the busy holiday winter season. The timing is right to renew public awareness about the importance of personal investment in preventing drunk driving.

Recently, County Executive Ike Leggett was joined by Department of Liquor Control (DLC) Director Robert Dorfman, Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger and other officials and members of law enforcement to relaunch the nationally-recognized “I/We Take It Personally” anti-drunk driving campaign.

The goals of this nationally-recognized campaign promote personal involvement to help prevent drunk driving, discourage patron over-consumption and confirm the personal commitment of public safety officers who are enforcing drunk driving laws.

The next public step of the campaign, originally introduced in the summer of 2017, features 30 DLC delivery trucks and two vans “wrapped” with a police anti-drunk driving message poster. The program encourages people who are going out and consuming alcohol to plan a safe ride home. This effort supports the County’s Vision Zero initiative to reduce severe and fatal collisions among vehicle occupants, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

We hope that every driver will say, “I Take It Personally,” and never drink and drive.

Learn more about the program here.

“I Take It Personally.” to Prevent Over-Service and Drunk Driving

To prevent drunk driving and discourage alcohol over service, the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control is relaunching a public awareness campaign titled, “I Take It Personally.” The campaign is designed to encourage personal accountability for alcohol servers and patrons consuming alcohol.

Last year, the nationally recognized ads ran on 40 busses and bus shelters over the late summer months. This year, the campaign will focus on bars and restaurants with signage, ID checking tools, waist aprons, drink coasters, and bar tools with safety messaging. The campaign includes a social media push using the hashtag #ITakeItPersonally.

Look out for these materials in your community this fall and please show your support by following @MoCoDLC and liking and reposting these safety messages on Facebook and Twitter.

Montgomery County’s Liquor Control Improves Online Ordering Platform

The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC) has improved its iStore, the online ordering platform that businesses within the county use to order beer, wine, and spirits.

The enhanced system is a modernized online marketplace to provide business customers with a smoother user experience.

For additional information on iStore or to sign up for training, go to the DLC website.

What’s "On Tap" at the Department of Liquor Control

It’s been almost one year since Robert Dorfman was appointed as director of the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control (DLC). On a recent episode of County Report This Week, Dorfman talked about operational improvements at the warehouse and what customers can expect in terms of selection, pricing and improved customer service at the DLC’s 27 retail stores this holiday season.

• Watch the interview here. 

During the next few weeks, the DLC will assist the Montgomery County Police Alcohol Holiday Task Force with compliance checks of businesses that hold alcohol licenses.

Public safety is a top priority for the DLC, and the department recently won a national award for its Legislative Outreach Program at the Maryland Alcohol Forum. The forum, “Innovative Solutions to Keeping Communities Safe,” highlighted alcohol licensing needs and educated attendees about the public safety benefits of alcohol regulation.

In case you missed it, the president of the Maryland Public Health Association noted the importance of the “health and social costs” of the alcohol industry in a recent op-ed in The Baltimore Sun.

With Montgomery County’s system of alcohol regulation, the County is a leader in protecting public health and safety. For example, the system allows the County to refuse to carry alcohol-industry products designed to encourage underage drinking.

A Johns Hopkins University study reported that Montgomery County has the second-lowest rate among all Maryland counties in alcohol-related treatment admissions and the second lowest rate of alcohol-related crashes. In addition, the County has lower rates of youth binge drinking and alcohol-related hospitalizations and emergency room visits.

For more information go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/local-liquor-control.

Kathie Durbin From Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control Receives National Leadership in Alcohol Regulation Award

Kathie Durbin, chief of licensure, regulation and education at the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control, is the recipient of the Fifth Annual Leadership in Alcohol Regulation Award.

The award recognizes a specific program, agency or person who oversees the alcohol industry and promotes public safety.

Durbin received the award at the Center for Alcohol Policy’s Advisory Council 10th Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference in Chicago, Illinois on September 6 – 8. This is the first time a representative from a County agency has been selected for this award.

For more information about the Department of Liquor Control go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DLC.

I Take It Personally, New Campaign to Prevent Over-Service and Drunk Driving

The County’s Department of Liquor Control and the Department of Police launched a new public awareness campaign to encourage everyone in the County to do what they can to limit alcohol over-service, over-consumption and drunk driving. The campaign titled, “I Take It Personally,” includes messaging over the summer on Ride On buses, bus shelters, County liquor stores and private establishments serving alcohol. The County’s social media and fliers will also be used to outreach on this important information. 

Part of the program includes a partnership with local transportation services to provide reduced cost safe rides via mobile apps. To learn more from press release.

Robert Dorfman Confirmed as New Director for the Department of Liquor Control

Robert Dorfman,
Director of Department of Liquor Control

Robert Dorfman officially became the new director for the Department of Liquor Control (DLC) following confirmation from the Montgomery County Council on January 31. Dorfman brings years of executive-level experience in business operations and management of liquor sales.

Dorfman’s impressive resume includes several senior-level positions at Marriott International. Among those, he was President of Host International, the world leader in airport, travel plazas and sports and entertainment food and beverage operations (responsible for $1.5 billion in annual income and 25,000 employees.) He was the nation’s second largest franchisee of Five Guys (operating 35 locations in Florida, Texas, and Ohio), and was President and Chief Operating Officer of TrustHouse Services Group, the sixth-largest contract services company in the United States.

Most recently, he served as Managing Partner of two World of Beer franchises in Virginia.

As Director, Dorfman will lead the DLC, a department which generates nearly $21 million annually in profit to County taxpayers while better protecting public health and public safety.

Leggett Taps Private Sector Executive Robert Dorfman to Head County Department of Liquor Control

County Executive Ike Leggett appointed Robert M. Dorfman as the Director for the County’s Department of Liquor Control (DLC), which manages the wholesale distribution of alcohol and the retail sale of liquor in the County. The DLC generates nearly $21 million annually in profit to County taxpayers while better protecting public health and public safety.

Dorfman, who lives in North Potomac, brings to the table a broad range of private sector experience and proven turnaround skills. Dorfman has served in several senior level executive positions at Marriott International. Among those, he was President of Host International, the world leader in airport, travel plazas and sports and entertainment food and beverage operations (responsible for $1.5 billion in annual income and 25,000 employees.) He was the nation’s second largest franchisee of Five Guys (operating 35 locations in Florida, Texas, and Ohio), and was President and Chief Operating Officer of TrustHouse Services Group, the sixth-largest contract services company in the United States.

Most recently, he served as Managing Partner of two World of Beer franchises in Virginia. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the County Council.

Department of Liquor Control Has Once Again Brewed Up Cost Savings

The Department of Liquor Control (DLC) has partnered with Legends Limited of Maryland to reduce the cost of kegs of several varieties of beer. The price reduction began November 1. While the price reductions vary depending on brand, the average decrease per keg is 11 percent.

The breweries/brands that will see price reductions are:

• Lagunitas Brand Family 
• Oskar Blues Brand Family 
• Union Anthem Brand Family 
• Ballast Point Brand Family 
• Duvel Brand Family 
• Baltimore Beer Works Brand Family 

DLC is continuing to work with suppliers and wholesale partners to negotiate the best pricing available for licensees and customers.

Four Examples of How Local Liquor Control Protects Against Products Aimed at Underage Drinkers

Montgomery County’s local liquor control provides $30 million every year to fund schools, roads and more. They system also allows the County to prevent the sale of products targeted at underage drinkers from being sold in the County – despite pressure from the liquor industry. Read more here

What You Need to Know about Montgomery’s Local Liquor Operations...

 

All jurisdictions “control” the sale of alcohol in some way, and about one-third of Americans live in jurisdictions with Local Liquor Control systems similar to that of Montgomery’s.

Local liquor control in Montgomery County contributes an average of $30 million in annual profit to the County’s general fund – helping us fund schools, transportation, help for the vulnerable in our midst – and more. Money generated by local liquor stays in the County, working for us – not in the pockets of wealthy out-of-state liquor interests. Privatization will eliminate this revenue to the County – requiring reductions in critical County services and/or up to a $100 additional property tax increase for every household. Plus the County would have to pay back $100 million in County liquor bonds.

Get all the facts on this important issue… HERE

Department of Liquor Control Featured in News Story for Continuing Tobacco Enforcement Efforts

Montgomery County’s Tobacco Enforcement Program in the Department of Liquor Control (DLC) was recently featured in a news story on NBC Channel 4. The County was praised for its efforts to enforce underage tobacco sales and display violations, even though the program is no longer funded by the State.

Under the DLC Tobacco Enforcement Program, a trained volunteer under the age of 18 is sent into a licensed business to purchase tobacco products using their own vertical, underage driver’s license. The program aims to reduce sales of tobacco to minors and enforce tobacco product placement laws. Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement Specialists employed by the DLC, issue civil citations to retail cigarette license holders and their clerks for underage sales and display violations, and testify in District Court regarding the citations.

Compliance Check Reports, including tobacco checks, are posted on the DLC website.

The County Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Liquor Control

Last December, Councilmembers Hans Riemer, George Leventhal and Marc Elrich sent a memo to their colleagues requesting that a Council ad hoc committee be created to study the County’s Department of Liquor Control (DLC) and its current system of distributing alcohol to restaurants and retail beer and wine stores.

Since February, the Ad Hoc Committee on Liquor Control has held worksessions to look at five options presented in an Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) report on the County’s Department of Liquor Control (DLC). The OLO report studied the current system that controls liquor distribution to County-operated retail alcohol stores, to private beer and wine stores and to restaurants.

The committee has heard from George Griffin, director of the Department of Liquor Control; restaurant owners; owners of private beer and wine stores; and representatives of the alcohol industry.

Read the news release for more information..

See the Ad Hoc Committee’s website.

Public Health Experts, Police Take On Liquor Privatization

Public health experts have sent a clear message to councilmembers considering privatization of Montgomery's Local Liquor Control system: the system is superior in protecting the public health, combatting underage drinking and striking the balance between the sale of a legal, controlled substance and meeting community concerns and the public interest.

Montgomery’s system, in fact, has blocked the introduction of numerous liquor industry products aimed at underage drinkers, resisting pressure from the liquor lobby.

Montgomery’s Local Liquor Control contributes $30 million annually to the County – keeping dollars spent in Montgomery County and funding education, transportation and social services while keeping taxes down.

Systems such as Montgomery’s, which cover 30 percent of the American population, have been judged by the National Institutes of Health as superior to protecting the public health, a finding supported broadly by scientific research.

“Montgomery County has among the lowest rates for alcohol treatment, alcohol-related crashes and binge drinking in the state,” said David Jernigan, director of the Baltimore-based Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth. “Montgomery County is doing much better than the rest of the State.”

In a detailed presentation, Jernigan cited 17 studies examined by the National Institutes of Health that concluded that alcohol consumption increases 44 percent with privatization. With privatization comes more outlets, more days and sales and longer hours, more alcohol signage and advertising, and more need for increased enforcement.

“In Iowa, Idaho, Maine and Montana, wine consumption jumped between 42 and 150 percent following privatization,” he explained. “Increased consumption means more adverse social impacts – more underage drinking, alcohol-related crashes, vandalism and violence.”

With alcohol in the hands of the market, he said, there are so many pressures to sell. As the price goes down, the adverse effects go up. He explained that alcohol abuse costs America $4 billion annually and is the 3rd leading cause of death and the leading drug for youth.

“There are so many pressures in the other direction,” he said. “If we don’t take intelligent steps to control the liquor trade, we will pay the price.”

Dr. Ulder Tillman, Montgomery County’s health officer, echoed the message. “If Montgomery County has the lowest alcohol treatment rate in the state, among the lowest alcohol-related crashes and the best overall health, I want to keep that.

“When Washington State privatized their liquor system, the number of liquor stores and bars jumped from 328 to 1,415 – a 337 percent increase. There was an increase in consumption, in the average number of drinks consumed at a sitting, in emergency room visits related to alcohol and in nighttime single-vehicle crashes.

“Our Local Liquor Control is a good thing,” said Dr. Tillman. “We can discuss how to make the system more consumer-friendly, but let’s keep what is working to protect the public health.”

Testifying on behalf of County police, Captain Tom Didone hailed the close cooperation between Local Liquor Control and his department in combatting underage drinking and drunk driving. Didone strongly opposed privatization, telling Councilmember Hans Riemer: “Please don’t change the way we do business now. It will make our job harder.”

The Montgomery County Police Department has the only full-time alcohol initiatives section in the State of Maryland, assisted by approximately 200 other police officers who have received specialized training in alcohol enforcement.

Watch the March 27 Ad Hoc Committee session with public health experts and police.

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