E-Malt.com News article: USA, NJ: N.J. brewpubs to benefit from recent law changes

Brewpubs and microbreweries now are popping up all over the country. And recently passed changes to the state of New Jersey’s laws governing brewpubs and small batch breweries, which were signed by Gov. Chris Christie last month, will help to cultivate the industry's presence in the state even further, nj.com reported on October, 15.

The law permits brewpubs to increase the number of locations they can open — upping the number of retail consumption licenses available to the brewery from two to 10. The brewpubs also are permitted to increase production from 3,000 barrels to 10,000 barrels a year. The changes also open the door for brewpubs to distribute their beers to the wholesale market to sell in liquor stores. Before the changes, the law restricted sales only to the brewery’s adjoining restaurant.

For microbreweries, the new laws allow them to offer samples of their beer on and off site. They can also sell beer at a licensed location for consumption as part of a brewery tour and they can sell a limited amount for off-site consumption.

At River Horse Brewing Co. in Lambertville, head brewer Chris Rakow said the company is taking its time to assess the changes to the law before implementing any at the brewery.

“We want to go over it with a fine-tooth comb,” Rakow said.

The new law allows the brewery to sell pints of beer on location, he said, but that would mean competing with local bars and pubs that have supported the brewery’s growth throughout the years.

“They serve our beer and if we start serving our beer in pints it’s competing with local business,” said Rakow. “And we aren’t looking to do that.”

Changes to restrictions on how and how much the brewery can sell will be welcome because customers won't have to go through a liquor store.

“It’s all good news if it allows people to get our beer easier,” Rakow said.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora said the good news will be for the state’s economy as a whole as the new law allows the industry to expand.

“It really is an economic engine,” said Gusciora, who cosponsored the Assembly’s version of the bill.

Changes like this in the past, like 15 years ago when changes to the law allowed the creation of brewpubs, opened up a whole new facet of the beer industry for the state. Gusciora said, he thinks the industry will see similar changes as a result of this law.


17 October, 2012