West Virginia brewers add home delivery

Several West Virginia breweries have already added a home delivery service option to their business, and more are expected to do so before the week is over. Home delivery does not include shipping or delivery by a third party — services which remain prohibited in West Virginia.

The delivery must be made by an employee of the brewery. Breweries may charge a delivery fee, or they may require a minimum dollar amount for the order to quality for delivery. They are also limiting the distance or territory where the home delivery is available. Home deliveries of beer and wine were just legalized last Thursday by the governor’s emergency order. WV bars and restaurants may also offer home delivery, but the beer they sell must be accompanied by a food order.

As of posting time on 4/06/20, the following WV breweries had announced they were now offering home deliveries.

• Bavarian Brothers Brewing, Shepherdstown
• Berkeley Springs Brewing, Berkeley Springs
• Chestnut Brew Works, Morgantown
• Parkersburg Brewing, Parkersburg

Other brewers, including Morgantown Brewing and Weathered Ground Brewery, have announced that they are making plans to add delivery. Brilliant Stream will keep an updated listing of brewery operations — including delivery service — on its website.

Brewer Guild issues guidance

On Saturday, the West Virginia Craft Brewers Guild issued a set of best practices for breweries related to home deliveries during the COVID-19 emergency. The group also recommends that other beer licensees (bar & restaurants) adhere to the guidelines.

The guidelines include:

• All transactions, when beer or wine is sold, must be pre-paid and conducted, monitored or approved by an employee of the brewery who is at least twenty one years of age.
• All transactions must be paid for by credit/debit card at the time the order is placed.
• The delivery person must be over the age of twenty one (21) years.
• Upon delivery, the delivery person must verify that the person on the credit/debit card matches the person accepting the alcohol delivery and that the person is over twenty-one (21) years of age and is not intoxicated.
• Furthermore, they recommend the delivery person should follow the Guidance on Takeout and Deliveries as listed on the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Resource website.