235 ILCS 5/6-6.5

(235 ILCS 5/6-6.5)

Sec. 6-6.5. Sanitation and use of growlers and crowlers.

(a) A manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor may not provide for free, but may sell coil cleaning services and installation services, including labor costs, to a retail licensee at fair market cost.

A manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor may not provide for free, but may sell dispensing accessories to retail licensees at a price not less than the cost to the manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor who initially purchased them. Dispensing accessories include, but are not limited to, items such as standards, faucets, cold plates, rods, vents, taps, tap standards, hoses, washers, couplings, gas gauges, vent tongues, shanks, glycol draught systems, pumps, and check valves. A manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor may service, balance, or inspect draft beer, wine, or distilled spirits systems at regular intervals and may provide labor to replace or install dispensing accessories.

Coil cleaning supplies consisting of detergents, cleaning chemicals, brushes, or similar type cleaning devices may be sold at a price not less than the cost to the manufacturer, distributor, or importing distributor.

(a-5) A manufacturer of beer licensed under subsection (e) of Section 6-4 or a brew pub may transfer any beer manufactured or sold on its licensed premises to a growler or crowler and sell those growlers or crowlers to non-licensees for consumption off the premises. A manufacturer of beer under subsection (e) of Section 6-4 or a brew pub is not subject to subsection (b) of this Section.

(b) An on-premises retail licensee may transfer beer to a growler or crowler, which is not an original manufacturer container, but is a reusable rigid container that holds up to 128 fluid ounces of beer and is designed to be sealed on premises by the licensee for off-premises consumption, if the following requirements are met:

(1) the beer is transferred within the licensed premises by an employee of the licensed premises at the time of sale;

(2) the person transferring the alcohol to be sold to the end consumer is 21 years of age or older;

(3) the growler or crowler holds no more than 128 fluid ounces;

(4) the growler or crowler bears a twist-type closure, cork, stopper, or plug and includes a one-time use tamper-proof seal;

(5) the growler or crowler is affixed with a label or tag that contains the following information:

(A) the brand name of the product dispensed;

(B) the name of the brewer or bottler;

(C) the type of product, such as beer, ale, lager, bock, stout, or other brewed or fermented beverage;

(D) the net contents;

(E) the name and address of the business that cleaned, sanitized, labeled, and filled or refilled the growler or crowler; and

(F) the date the growler or crowler was filled or refilled;

(5.5) the growler or crowler has been purged with CO2 prior to sealing the container;

(6) the on-premises retail licensee complies with the sanitation requirements under subsections (a) through (c) of 11 Ill. Adm. Code 100.160 when sanitizing the dispensing equipment used to draw beer to fill the growler or crowler or refill the growler;

(7) before filling the growler or crowler or refilling the growler, the on-premises retail licensee or licensee's employee shall clean and sanitize the growler or crowler in one of the following manners:

(A) By manual washing in a 3-compartment sink.

(i) Before sanitizing the growler or crowler, the sinks and work area shall be cleaned to remove any chemicals, oils, or grease from other cleaning activities.

(ii) Any residual liquid from the growler shall be emptied into a drain. A growler shall not be emptied into the cleaning water.

(iii) The growler and cap shall be cleaned in water and detergent. The water temperature shall be, at a minimum, 110 degrees Fahrenheit or the temperature specified on the cleaning agent manufacturer's label instructions. The detergent shall not be fat-based or oil-based.

(iv) Any residues on the interior and exterior of the growler shall be removed.

(v) The growler and cap shall be rinsed with water in the middle compartment. Rinsing may be from the spigot with a spray arm, from a spigot, or from a tub as long as the water for rinsing is not stagnant but is continually refreshed.

(vi) The growler shall be sanitized in the third compartment. Chemical sanitizer shall be used in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency-registered label use instructions and shall meet the minimum water temperature requirements of that chemical.

(vii) A test kit or other device that accurately measures the concentration in milligrams per liter of chemical sanitizing solutions shall be provided and be readily accessible for use.

(B) By using a mechanical washing and sanitizing machine.

(i) Mechanical washing and sanitizing machines shall be provided with an easily accessible and readable data plate affixed to the machine by the manufacturer and shall be used according to the machine's design and operation specifications.

(ii) Mechanical washing and sanitizing machines shall be equipped with chemical or hot water sanitization.

(iii) The concentration of the sanitizing solution or the water temperature shall be accurately determined by using a test kit or other device.

(iv) The machine shall be regularly serviced based upon the manufacturer's or installer's guidelines.

(C) By transferring beer to a growler or crowler with a tube.

(i) Beer may be transferred to a growler or crowler from the bottom of the growler or crowler to the top with a tube that is attached to the tap and extends to the bottom of the growler or crowler or with a commercial filling machine.

(ii) Food grade sanitizer shall be used in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency-registered label use instructions.

(iii) A container of liquid food grade sanitizer shall be maintained for no more than 10 malt beverage taps that will be used for filling growlers or crowlers and refilling growlers.

(iv) Each container shall contain no less than 5 tubes that will be used only for filling growlers or crowlers and refilling growlers.

(v) The growler or crowler must be inspected visually for contamination.

(vi) After each transfer of beer to a growler or crowler, the tube shall be immersed in the container with the liquid food grade sanitizer.

(vii) A different tube from the container must be used for each fill of a growler or crowler or refill of a growler.

(c) Growlers and crowlers that comply with items (4) and (5) of subsection (b) shall not be deemed an unsealed container for purposes of Section 11-502 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(d) Growlers and crowlers, as described and authorized under this Section, are not original packages for the purposes of this Act. Upon a consumer taking possession of a growler or crowler from an on-premises retail licensee, the growler or crowler and its contents are deemed to be in the sole custody, control, and care of the consumer.

(Source: P.A. 101-16, eff. 6-14-19; 101-517, eff. 8-23-19; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)