USA, FL: South Florida craft breweries reaching to governor for help

South Florida craft breweries are reaching out to Gov. Ron DeSantis for help. They say if they can't open up their tap rooms soon and start selling to restaurants, they are going under, WPLG Local 10 reported on July 22.

About 100 microbreweries across the state are desperate to save their suds.

Yonathan Ghersi, the owner of 26 Degree Brewing in Pompano Beach, said he feels as if businesses like his have been singled out.

His business is a 21,000 square foot brewery with a tap room.

Last week, he furloughed 7 people. " . . . Front of house and back of house. Our brewery production team has also taken salary cuts."

Breweries that aren’t licensed to serve food are not allowed to open since COVID-19 shutdowns, but restaurants with bars are?

“What is the difference between having a plate of fries next to your beer or just having a beer at your table? Does the plate of fries automatically make it that you can’t catch COVID?” Ghersi asked.

In an open letter to DeSantis and Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Secretary Halsey Beshears posted on Facebook, the Florida Brewers Guild (FBG) said restricting operations to “to-go only” is unsustainable for the state’s 320 “brew pubs.”

"We need your help. The entire Florida Craft Brewing Industry is now in jeopardy. . . The vast majority of over 320 small businesses represents 10,000 jobs."

23 July, 2020