25-04-2025
Self-serve alcohol option for bars and breweries proposed in New Hampshire
A New Hampshire lawmaker is proposing a law that would allow more bars and breweries to offer self-serve alcohol options for diners.
For the past three years, Leah Bellemore has been pouring glasses of wine like no one else in New Hampshire. Her business, Vine 32 Wine in Bedford, uses self-serve machines that let the customer determine whether they want a taste, half-serving or full glass of wine. Bellemore got approval for the business model thanks to a New Hampshire "industry rule" that allowed it.
Pour your own wine or beer
"Once they [customers] get walked through the process and they understand how it works, they're blown away, they're like, 'Actually this is brilliant, this is nothing like I thought it would be,'" said Bellemore. "Guests can try different things, make everything a little bit more accessible."
Customers at Vine 32 Wine are given a card when they walk in. They use it to activate the wall of 32 taps but it also tracks how much wine each customer has consumed along with their tab. Now there is a state senator who wants to make that rule a law. The goal is to expand the option to other businesses and create regulations for liquor licensees.
State Sen. Tim Lang said he got the idea for his bill after a trip to the Republican National Convention last year in Wisconsin.
"I was waiting on my food, and I was able to get up and go get my beer without waiting for the waitress to come over and say, 'Can I get you anything else?'" said Lang.
Customer quantities would be tracked
Lang said his bill would require businesses to use a Radio Frequency Identification Device like a card or wristband to track each customer's quantity. As written, the bill set a limit of 32 ounces for beer or cider and 10 ounces for wine, before the RIFD would stop working and require customers to check-in with an employee to reset it. Lang said this is a step to ensure customers are not over serving themselves.
"Because it's based on the ounces of pour, I could just get take an ounce of beer if I want to try it and if I don't like it, then I don't have to pay for a whole pint."
The bill, which has made its way out of the Senate and into the House for review, would not allow for liquor mixed drinks to be included.
"We might expand that but for now let's take a baby step and legalize this," said Lang.
In 2023, WBZ-TV highlighted a wine shop in Plymouth with a similar business model.
