California breweries and wineries reopen with lifting of COVID rules

Breweries, wineries and distilleries will soon be allowed to operate outside statewide – even if they don’t serve food – as part of the latest easing of coronavirus trade restrictions in California.

The status quo, however, will remain a distant concept, even in the most lenient category of the state’s four-category reopening plan.

At establishments located in counties that are either in the purple or red level, the two more stringent, customers will be required to make reservations and will be subject to a 90-minute time limit, and on-site consumption must stop before 8 p.m., according to the state’s new health orientation, which is effective Saturday.

These businesses can begin to open indoors as their home countries progress, although capacity is limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is less, in the more lenient Orange tier; and 50% or 200 people, whichever is less, in the less stringent yellow level.

Breweries, wineries and distilleries that serve food will continue to be governed by the same rules that apply to restaurants.

Despite the easing of restrictions for some establishments serving alcohol, bars that do not serve food will remain completely closed in the purple and red bleachers.

However, these can reopen to the outside with changes in the orange level. Beginning Saturday, bars will be able to open indoors in yellow-tier counties, with capacity limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is less.

While the new guidelines pave the way for counties to toast additional reopenings, it remains to be seen whether local health workers will go as far as the state allows.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has yet to announce whether it will align its guidelines with those of the state.

Los Angeles County restaurants, gyms, museums and theaters will be allowed to reopen for indoor activities, according to a public health announcement made Thursday.

Reopenings will be triggered as soon as California hits its goal of delivering 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to residents of its most disadvantaged areas – which appears to be happening on Friday.