No Records, More Problems
"I wish I had YOUR job!" If polled, it's probably safe to assume the vast majority of Ohio's breweries hear this statement at least once a day. For those not involved in running a brewery, the idea of being around the production of beer on a daily basis sounds like the "dream job." While no one will dispute running a brewery IS a dream job, those involved understand quite well, it is in fact, A JOB. Like any job, running a brewery involves some mundane tasks - more specifically, keeping daily records.
In order to ensure the preparation of accurate excise tax returns, the TTB requires breweries to keep daily records of operations. In total, 19 categories of records are to be kept on a daily basis. A one-page summary can be found here. The TTB reports brewers commonly fail to do the following (among other things):
- Accurately report the amount of beer returned to the brewery.
- Properly maintain records regarding destruction of beer.
- Appropriately record lab sample removals.
- Appropriately report, record, or maintain supporting documents regarding losses or shortages.
Daily record keeping is not an option, it's a requirement. Failure to do so may result in inaccurate excise tax submissions, fines and penalties.