Shaun Lapacek wants to make sure his Columbia County winery is in compliance.
The operating licenses for Rock N Wool Winery in Poynette need to be renewed by the start of June and new state laws regulating alcohol just went into effect May 1.
The changes include creating a state permit for alcohol producers to expand their retail offerings. Similar licenses were previously issued by municipalities.
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Even after talking to his local clerk, Lapacek said he’s still confused when he can get the new permit and whether his winery will be licensed in the meantime.
“Questions like that don’t really work well with the business, because I can’t plan events. I can’t tell people, ‘OK, we’ll have this license,’” he told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “I can’t promote my business in a manner, and I guess that’s what’s tough. I kind of feel like I still have handcuffs on.”
Lapacek and other alcohol producers, distributors, retailers and consumers are stillworking through the transition to the new state regulations.
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A more level playing field
Despite some confusion about the transition to new rules, several people across the industry told “Wisconsin Today” that eventually the changes will lead to more clarity for alcohol producers.
The new laws overhauled the previous three-tiered system for alcohol licensing and created a Division of Alcohol Beverages within the state Department of Revenue.
Jeff Glazer is an attorney who focuses on business issues for companies in the food and beverage industry. He said alcohol producers of all kinds will be affected: breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries and others.
Glazer has been working with this industry since 2007. He said people used to make products and sell to wholesalers. Then, wholesalers would carry products to retailers for sale. But the industry changed. The new laws modernize the space and make it easier for small manufacturers to compete, Glazer said.
Glazer said the new laws will clear up a lot of misunderstandings. The old rules were arcane and confusing when it came to who was allowed to serve what, he said. Laws stopped breweries from serving wine or distilled spirits. Wineries could serve beer but not distilled spirits.
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“All of that has gone away,” Glazer said. “Everybody can serve everything now. It’ll make the tasting rooms just a much more comfortable place for consumers.”
Spanish gin and tonics. Courtesy Great Lakes Distillery
Expanded opportunities
For Lapacek, the new laws mean being able to serve customers who prefer beer or liquor rather than wine and want to enjoy the converted sheep farm that became Rock N Wool Winery. The laws also allow the winery to stay open later and clarifies the rules for hosting private events.
For others like State Line Distillery in Madison, the law offers more freedom to serve spirits in new ways. Bar manager Mike McDonald updated State Line’s cocktail menu this month to take advantage of the new ingredients he can now implement.
“It was a great challenge and really kept our bar unique to other bars around town but also prevented us from kind of showcasing our spirits the way that a normal bar or cocktail bar would,” McDonald said. “All those classic cocktails that we just couldn’t serve, because we couldn’t carry these products, are now available to us.”
The new state permit lets State Line collaborate with other distillers and serve cocktails at festivals and markets. Before May 1, only products like beer and wine could be served at those types of public events, McDonald said.
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The new laws provide more unified rules on contract manufacturing when brewers, winemakers or distillers craft a product for another company that sells it under a different label. That’s all being overseen by the state’s new Division of Alcohol Beverages.
In this file photo, a group of birding enthusiasts finish discussing their day while sampling a flight of beers. Robert F. Bukat/AP Photo
Enhanced administrative oversight
The new Department of Revenue office overseeing alcohol regulations includes staff who specialize in alcoholic beverage issues. Glazer, the attorney, said agents who used to handle this topic covered areas like gambling and tobacco, too.
“When questions arose, they didn’t always have great answers because they were dealing with a lot of other things,” he said.
The new laws will allow for more consistency in regulatory enforcement, Glazer added.
“There were a lot of industry members who were getting away with a lot of things. The only way it would come to light is if other industry members ratted them out,” he said. “Now, the division is going to have a lot more resources to be proactive in enforcement. They’re going to have more resources to provide better education so that people understand what the rules are.”
The Department of Revenue selected former state legislator Mark Meyer to lead the new division. Meyer said the state transferred in agents who were previously working in alcohol enforcement, and he’s in the process of filling out the rest of his staff, which will include a unit for outreach and education.
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Meyer said the division has prioritized writing administrative rules for the new law and processing full service retail sales permit applications.
“I was very concerned about the idea that we get those out the door so that there was no one that would fall through the cracks,” Meyer said. “I’m happy to tell you that every single license, every single request we had that day, that was in the queue, was issued on May 1, and I’m not aware of anybody that wasn’t in compliance.”
While most of the new alcohol regulations adopted by lawmakers last year went into effect on May 1, other changes will start further in the future. Meyer said the changes will create a new statewide bartender license for use across municipalities starting Jan. 1, 2025.
A year later, operators of event venues like wedding barns will be required to hold a liquor license if hosting events that serve alcohol on more than six days a year. A separate permit will be available for venues that serve alcohol on six or fewer days.
Wedding barn owners filed a lawsuit earlier this month against the Department of Revenue over the regulations, arguing the law is unconstitutional and infringes on their ability to conduct business.
Manuel Franco claims his $768 million Powerball jackpot
Manuel Franco, 24, of West Allis was revealed Tuesday as the winner of the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
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Here’s a look at July 15, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 15 drawing
02-07-18-29-38, Powerball: 16, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 15 drawing
Midday: 0-6-9
Evening: 8-6-6
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Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 15 drawing
Midday: 9-3-8-0
Evening: 4-5-2-7
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from July 15 drawing
Midday: 01-04-05-07-09-11-12-17-18-21-22
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Evening: 05-06-10-11-12-13-14-16-17-19-21
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from July 15 drawing
05-06-23-28-31
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from July 15 drawing
04-08-15-16-21-33, Doubler: N
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Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Megabucks numbers from July 15 drawing
10-19-25-31-37-40
Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.
When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?
Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **
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WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.
(WLUK) — Northeast Wisconsin community groups that helped during historic spring flooding can now apply for relief.
Applications for the United Way Fox Cities and Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region Flood Relief fund are now open.
The grants are available to local nonprofits and churches serving residents in Outagamie, Calumet, Shawano, Waupaca, and the Neenah/Menasha area of Winnebago counties who are engaging in relief efforts both short-term and long-term.
Grants are available to:
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501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
Groups fiscally sponsored by a qualified 501(c)(3)
Churches and other public entities able to receive tax-deductible contributions
These grants are not available to private foundations, individuals or businesses directly, labor unions, or 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) organizations.
The funding provided to these community organizations will help with housing and safe shelter, food, health and well-being, and financial assistance.
For individual homeowners and renters seeking relief, you can apply for FEMA assistance.
President Trump recently approved $22.6 million in federal aid for Northeast Wisconsin. The request made earlier this year asked for $27 million.
