At the end of 2016, the TTB released Ruling 2016-2, which, despite its catchy name, lessened the formula submission requirements on meaderies.
Some meads now do not require formula submissions:
- Meaderies do not need a formula for standard agricultural wine, including mead and:
- Carrot wine
- Dried fruit wine (e.g., raisin wine)
- Honey wine (Mead)
- Maple syrup wine
- Onion wine
- Pepper wine (Jalapeño, green, red, etc.)
- Pumpkin wine
- Rhubarb wine
- Sweet potato wine
- Tomato wine
- This can also apply to the ingredients if they are fermented together. So if you ferment honey and tomatoes together, you do not need a formula. If you add the tomatoes after, or if you ferment separately and then blend them, you do need a formula.
- COLAs for these should include “Formula Approved Under TTB Ruling 2016-2” as a comment in item 19
As always, a COLA exemption is a different animal, and one can write any truthful statement one wants on an exempted label, so long as that product will not be used in interstate commerce.
Also as always, there is always the potential for the person reviewing your label to be unfamiliar with the fairly arcane intricacies of these rules. If a label is returned, you believe in error, please reference this page in your conversations.