Custom software for beer excise duty returns
Appfront builds software for breweries that want to prepare their beer excise return from their own administration. Beer brewed in the excise warehouse is held under suspension, and excise becomes due when it is released to the customer. The software calculates each release using the alcohol percentage of the brew and the rate applicable to the brewery, keeps exports, returns and destruction separate, and produces the monthly return with the supporting documentation.
What is beer excise return software?
A brewery brews beer in an excise warehouse, where it is held under suspension: no excise has been paid yet. When the beer leaves the brewery for a customer in the Netherlands, it is released for consumption and excise becomes due. The brewery files a return on this every month. The amount depends on the alcohol percentage and the quantity, and small breweries may apply a reduced rate under certain conditions.
In practice, brews are recorded in the brewing log, deliveries in the invoicing programme, and the return is put together in a spreadsheet at the end of the month. A cask that comes back, a batch that is destroyed or beer sent abroad is corrected by hand. The alcohol percentage of a batch has not always been entered consistently. And when Customs audits, someone has to work out how a return was arrived at.
We build custom because breweries differ: how many beers and brews, which sales channels, whether you export, and which software you use for brewing, stock and invoices. Which rules and which rate apply to your brewery is determined by the Dutch Customs authority; if in doubt, check with your adviser. The software calculates based on what applies and makes it demonstrable.
From your administration
The return is generated from brews, stock and deliveries, with no spreadsheet at the end of the month.
Per brew
Every release is recorded at the alcohol percentage of the brew it came from, and the applicable rate.
Special cases recorded separately
Export, returns, loss and destruction recorded separately, with supporting documentation.
How we build your beer excise return software
We start with your brewery: which beers you make, how brews are recorded, which channels you sell through, and how you currently prepare the return. Often the stock on paper does not match what is in the tanks and the warehouse. We build a check for that, so any discrepancy is spotted before the return is submitted.
Your beers, brews, channels, systems and current return.
Brews with alcohol percentage, and stock under suspension.
Release per delivery, and export, returns and destruction recorded separately.
The monthly return with specification, followed by ongoing management.
What beer excise return software actually does
The components below appear in almost every brewery with an excise warehouse. Which ones you need depends on your channels.
Brews
With quantity and alcohol percentage.
Stock
Under suspension, per beer and packaging.
Output
Per delivery, at the correct rate.
Particulars
Export, returns, losses and destruction.
Declaration
Monthly, with a detailed breakdown.
Validation
Discrepancies between production and output.
Who we build beer excise declaration software for
The software is intended for breweries with an excise goods warehouse.
Craft brewers
Many beers and small batches. The declaration is the core.
Taprooms
Sales at the bar and in the shop. Output matters most.
Exporters
Deliveries abroad. Particulars are what is needed.
Contract brewers
Brewing at another location. Stock is the core.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology and integrations
This page is about excise duty returns for breweries. For brewing in general, see our page on brewery software; for wholesalers, our page on excise administration in a drinks wholesaler; and for VAT, our page on VAT compliance software. You can read about our approach under getting software built.
Why choose Appfront for your beer excise declaration software?
A declaration that comes together at the end of the month from loose spreadsheets is hard to explain during an inspection. We build around that: the declaration drawn from the administration, calculated per brew, with particulars kept separately.
Reconciles
Production, stock and output balance.
Faster
No spreadsheet at the end of the month.
Demonstrable
Every declaration backed by documentation.
Security and privacy in beer excise declaration software
The software holds data on production, stock, customers and excise. Access is set by role, and every change to a declaration is logged.
The software runs in a European data centre, with encrypted storage, daily back-ups and sign-in with a second factor. Data is retained for as long as the Customs and Excise authority requires.
Frequently asked questions about beer excise declaration software
Questions breweries ask before getting started.
It records brews with quantity and alcohol percentage, keeps track of stock under suspension, calculates the excise per output at the applicable rate, keeps export, returns and destruction separate, and produces the monthly declaration with a detailed breakdown.
Output for consumption applies when beer leaves the excise goods warehouse for a customer in the Netherlands. While it remains in the excise goods warehouse or is transported under suspension, no excise is yet due. For what applies in your situation, check with the Customs and Excise authority or your adviser.
Yes. Whether your brewery may apply the reduced rate depends on the conditions set by the Customs and Excise authority, such as production in the previous year. You record which rate applies, and the software calculates with it and monitors the conditions you can measure.
A return or destruction is recorded separately with its supporting documentation. How it is processed in the declaration follows the rules of the Customs and Excise authority; the software ensures the evidence is attached.
The software compares them and flags discrepancies, for example a loss during bottling or a forgotten delivery. You can investigate and record the difference before the declaration is submitted.
Yes, provided those systems have an interface or export. Brewings come from the brewing software, deliveries from the invoicing or point-of-sale system, and the return can go to the accounts.
Ask that first. Some brewery packages already produce an excise overview, and that may be enough. Custom development makes sense if your return is currently assembled from separate lists, if you sell through many channels, or if exports and returns involve a lot of manual work.
An excise return generated from your own records?
Tell us which beers you brew, which channels you sell through and how you currently prepare the return. We'll show you what the brew records, the outcome and the return look like.