Underage college students studying winemaking or beer-brewing in California are now able to legally taste alcoholic beverages while in class.
Gov. Jerry Brown approved the “sip-and-spit” bill on Monday, adding California to a list of 12 other states with similar laws on drinking in the name of education.
But as the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Before students start the paperwork to change their major to brewery or viniculture, they should read the fine print of the law.
It was nicknamed the “sip-and-spit” bill early in the legislative process because students under 21 are not permitted to actually swallow the alcohol. If it is necessary to taste it, that is fine, as long as you spit it out afterward.
The University of California Davis, was a major force behind the law because of its acclaimed programs in viniculture and brewery. According to Andrew Waterhouse, a UC Davis professor who testified in support of the bill, not being able to taste the course material put some students at a disadvantage.
“It’s an experience they can’t really get any other way,” Waterhouse told NBC San Diego. “And it’s much better if they do it in an educational setting where they can ask a lot of questions.”
The law still puts restrictions on tasting. The students must be over the age of 18, supervised, and in a classroom setting.
But, fear not. The winemakers of tomorrow will now be better prepared for the grape big world.
