27 CFR § 7.143 - Class and type—special rules.

The following special rules apply to specified class and type designations:

(a) Reconstituted malt beverages. Malt beverages that have been concentrated by the removal of water therefrom and reconstituted by the addition of water and carbon dioxide must for the purpose of this part be labeled in the same manner as malt beverages which have not been concentrated and reconstituted, except that there must appear immediately adjacent to, and as a part of, the class designation the statement “PRODUCED FROM____ __CONCENTRATE” (the blank to be filled in with the appropriate class designation). All parts of the class designation must appear in lettering of substantially the same size and kind. However, ice beers, described in paragraph (c) of this section, which are produced by the removal of less than 0.5 percent of the volume of the beer in the form of ice crystals and that retain beer character are not considered concentrated.

(b) Half and half. No product may be designated with the type designation “half and half” unless it is in fact composed of equal parts of two classes of malt beverages, the names of which are conspicuously stated immediately adjacent to the designation “half and half” (for example, “Half and Half, Porter and Stout”). This does not preclude the use of terms such as “half and half” as part of a distinctive or fanciful name that refers to flavors added to a malt beverage designated in accordance with trade understanding or with a statement of composition.

(c) Ice beer. Malt beverages supercooled during the brewing process to form ice crystals may be labeled with the type designation “ice” preceding the class designation (beer, ale, etc.).

(d) Black and tan. A product composed of two classes of malt beverages may be designated with the type designation “black and tan,” and the class and type designation is the names of the two classes of malt beverages in conjunction with “black and tan” (for example, “Black and Tan, Stout and Ale”).

(e) Wheat beer. Any “beer,” “ale,” “porter,” “stout,” “lager,” “malt liquor,” or other malt beverage made from a fermentable base that consists of at least 25 percent by weight malted wheat may be designated with the type designation “wheat” preceding the applicable class designation.

(f) Rye beer. Any “beer,” “ale,” “porter,” “stout,” “lager,” “malt liquor,” or other malt beverage made from a fermentable base that consists of at least 25 percent by weight malted rye may be designated with the type designation “rye” preceding the applicable class designation.

(g) Barley wine ale. The term “barley (or wheat or rye) wine ale” or “barley (or wheat or rye) wine style ale” may be used in accordance with trade understanding.

(h) Malt beverages aged in barrels—(1) General. Label designations for malt beverages aged in barrels or with woodchips, spirals, or staves derived from barrels may, but are not required to, include a description of how the product was aged. Thus, for example, acceptable designations for a standard beer aged in an oak barrel would include “beer,” “oak aged beer,” and “beer aged in an oak barrel.”

(2) Barrels previously used in the production or storage of wine or distilled spirits. Malt beverages aged in barrels previously used in the production or storage of wine or distilled spirits, or with woodchips, spirals, or staves derived from barrels previously used in the production or storage of wine or distilled spirits, or from woodchips previously used in the aging of distilled spirits or wine may, but are not required to, include a description of how the product was aged.

(i) Examples of acceptable designations for a standard beer aged in a wine barrel include “beer,” “beer aged in a wine barrel,” and “wine barrel aged beer.”

(ii) Examples of acceptable designations for an ale brewed with honey and aged in a bourbon barrel include “honey ale” and “bourbon barrel aged honey ale” but not simply “ale” or “bourbon barrel aged ale.”

(3) Misleading designations. Designations that create a misleading impression as to the identity of the product by emphasizing certain words or terms are prohibited. As set forth in § 7.122, designations may not mislead consumers as to the age, origin, identity, or other characteristics of the malt beverage. Examples of designations that would be prohibited under this provision are “bourbon ale,” “bourbon-flavored lager,” “Chardonnay lager,” or “lager with whisky flavors.”

(i) Other designations. Other type designations (such as “milk” preceding the class designation “stout”) may be applied in conformance with trade understanding.