Bill allows beer tasting for 18-year-old students

MURFREESBORO – An 18-year-old will be able to taste beer without swallowing in a college beer manufacturing class if a bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Ketron becomes law.

"You cannot consume it," Ketron said. "You are not allowed to swallow."

The Republican senator from Murfreesboro is also known for his legislation that will enable grocery stores to sell wine if municipal referendums pass, such as voters in Murfreesboro and Smyrna approving them in November.

In addition to Ketron's support, state Rep. Steve McManus, a Republican from Cordova in the Memphis area, is also sponsoring the legislation pertaining to beer tasting.

"Beer — As introduced, allows a student taking a beer-manufacturing course in higher education to taste beer as long as the student is 18 years of age, under certain circumstances," states the bill, which calls for amending Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 and Title 57, Chapter 5.

The senator said beer tasting without swallowing is part of how the students understand the chemistry that goes into to brewing beer.

Students taking the course would have to sign a form to ensure they understand they can only taste the beer and can't swallow it, Ketron said.

Ketron said he sponsored the bill at the request of Middle Tennessee State University Provost Brad Bartel.

"He asked me if I would look into bringing the legislation," Ketron said.

MTSU spokesman Jimmy Hart said Bartel had talked to Ketron about the feasibility of the university being able to one day offer beer manufacturing or wine-making courses or degree programs should any change of the law make it possible. The provost was unaware that a bill was proposed, Hart added.

Ketron's bill states that the student and the authorized instructor and the qualified academic institution would not be subject to criminal prosecution.

The bill proposes that the beer tasting would be permissible when a "qualified academic institution has established a required or elective course in brewing that is designed to train industry professionals in the manufacture of beer."

The beer tasting is for educational purposes that is part of the instruction of the course, the bill adds.

"The beer remains in control of an authorized instructor of the qualified academic institution who is at least 21 years of age," the bill states. "Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow a student under 21 years of age to receive beer unless it is delivered as part of the student's course requirements."

The bill says no license or permit is required by the academic institution "provided that an extra fee or charge is not imposed for the beer tasted."

Any tuition normally charged for a course shall not be considered an extra fee or charge, the bill states.

Qualifying academic institutions means public or private colleges, universities or community colleges.

A qualified student means being enrolled in the college and being at least 18.

"Taste means to draw beer into the mouth, but does not include swallowing or otherwise consuming beer," the bill states.

Contact Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 or sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.