(a)  There shall be assessed and levied by the tax administrator on all beverages manufactured, rectified, blended, or reduced for sale in this state a tax of three dollars and thirty cents ($3.30) on every thirty-one (31) gallons, and a tax at a like rate for any other quantity or fractional part. On any beverage manufactured, rectified, blended, or reduced for sale in this state consisting, in whole or in part, of wine, whiskey, rum, gin, brandy spirits, ethyl alcohol, or other strong liquors (as distinguished from beer or other brewery products), the tax to be assessed and levied is as follows:

(1)  Still wines (whether fortified or not), one dollar and forty cents ($1.40) per gallon;

(2)  Still wines (whether fortified or not) made entirely from fruit grown in this state, thirty cents ($.30) per gallon;

(3)  Sparkling wines (whether fortified or not), seventy five cents ($.75) per gallon;

(4)  Whiskey, rum, gin, brandy spirits, cordials, and other beverages consisting in whole or in part of alcohol that is the product of distillation, five dollars and forty cents ($5.40) per gallon, except that whiskey, rum, gin, brandy spirits, cordials, and other beverages consisting, in whole or in part, of alcohol that is the product of distillation but that contains alcohol measuring thirty (30) proof or less, one dollar and ten cents ($1.10) per gallon;

(5)  Ethyl alcohol to be used for beverage purposes, seven dollars and fifty cents ($7.50) per gallon; and

(6)  Ethyl alcohol to be used for nonbeverage purposes, eight cents ($.08) per gallon.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 3-10-1

  • Beverage: means any liquid that either by itself or by mixture with any other liquid or liquids, is, or may become, fit for human consumption as a drink and that contains five-tenths of one per cent (. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
  • Wines: means all fermented alcoholic beverages made from fruits, flowers, herbs, or vegetables and containing not more than twenty-four percent (24%) of alcohol by volume at sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees F), except cider obtained by the alcohol fermentation of the juice of apples and containing not less than five tenths of one percent (. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1

(b)  Sacramental wines are not subject to any tax if sold directly to a member of the clergy for use by the purchaser or his or her congregation for sacramental or other religious purposes.

(c)  A brewer who brews beer in this state that is actively and directly owned, managed, and operated by an authorized legal entity that has owned, managed, and operated a brewery in this state for at least twelve (12) consecutive months, shall receive a tax exemption on the first one hundred thousand (100,000) barrels of beer that it produces and distributes in this state in any calendar year. A barrel of beer is thirty one (31) gallons.

(d)  A distiller who distills spirits in this state that is actively and directly owned, managed, and operated by an authorized legal entity that has owned, managed, and operated a distillery in this state for at least twelve (12) consecutive months, shall receive a tax exemption on the first fifty thousand (50,000) gallons of distilled spirits that it produces and distributes in this state in any calendar year.

History of Section.
P.L. 1933, ch. 2013, § 40; P.L. 1934, ch. 2088, § 10; P.L. 1936, ch. 2337, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 167, § 1; P.L. 1940, ch. 815, § 2; P.L. 1947, ch. 1887, art. 7, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 3-10-1; P.L. 1958, ch. 17, art. 1, § 1; P.L. 1969, ch. 197, art. 5, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 223, § [3a]; P.L. 1979, ch. 174, art. 7, § 9; P.L. 1980, ch. 372, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch. 308, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 126, art. 14, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 30, art. 35, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 144, art. 9, § 8; P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 12, § 10; P.L. 2014, ch. 528, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 11, § 8; P.L. 2016, ch. 142, art. 13, § 2.