General provisions.

§ 26.300 General provisions. (a) Transfer of bulk distilled spirits from customs custody to bonded premises of a distilled spirits plant. Distilled spirits brought into the United States from the Virgin Islands in bulk containers may, under the provisions of this subpart, be withdrawn by the proprietor of a distilled spirits plant from customs custody and transferred in such bulk containers or by pipeline to the bonded premises of his plant, without payment of the internal revenue tax imposed on such spirits by 26 U.S.C. 7652. Such spirits so withdrawn and transferred to a distilled spirits plant may be redistilled or denatured only if 185 degrees or more of proof, and may be withdrawn from a distilled spirits plant for any purpose authorized by 26 U.S.C. chapter 51, in the same manner as domestic distilled spirits. Spirits transferred from customs custody to the bonded premises of a distilled spirits plant under the provisions of this subpart shall be received and stored thereat, and withdrawn or transferred therefrom, subject to the provisions of part 19 of this chapter. The person operating the bonded premises of the distilled spirits plant to which spirits are transferred under the provisions of this subpart shall become liable for the tax on distilled spirits withdrawn from customs custody under 26 U.S.C. 5232, upon release of the spirits from customs custody, and the person bringing the spirits into the United States shall thereupon be relieved of his liability for such tax. (b) Transfer of bulk natural wine from customs custody to a bonded wine cellar. Bulk natural wine, as defined in § 26.11, brought into the United States from the Virgin Islands may, under the provisions of this subpart, be withdrawn by the proprietor of a bonded wine cellar from customs custody and transferred in bond in bulk containers to the bonded wine cellar, without payment of the internal revenue tax imposed on such wine by 26 U.S.C. 7652. Wine so withdrawn and transferred to a bonded wine cellar may be withdrawn from a bonded wine cellar for any purpose authorized by 26 U.S.C. chapter 51, in the same manner as domestic wine. The proprietor of the bonded wine cellar to which the wine is transferred becomes liable for the tax on wine withdrawn from customs custody under 26 U.S.C. 5364. Upon release of the wine from customs custody, the person bringing in the wine is relieved of the liability for the tax. (c) Transfer of beer from customs custody to brewery premises. Bulk beer brought into the United States from the Virgin Islands may, under the provisions of this subpart, be withdrawn by the proprietor of a brewery from customs custody and transferred in bulk containers to the brewery premises, without payment of the internal revenue tax imposed on such beer by 26 U.S.C. 7652. Beer so withdrawn and transferred to brewery premises may be withdrawn from a brewery for any purpose authorized by 26 U.S.C. chapter 51, in the same manner as domestic beer. The proprietor of the brewery to which the beer is transferred becomes liable for the tax on beer withdrawn from customs custody under 26 U.S.C. 5418. Upon release of the beer from customs custody, the person bringing in the beer from the Virgin Islands is relieved of the liability for the tax. [T.D. ATF–62, 44 FR 71717, Dec. 11, 1979, as amended by T.D. TTB–145, 81 FR 94203, Dec. 22, 2016; T.D. TTB–159, 85 FR 33542, June 2, 2020]