How Will the Government Shutdown Affect the Sale of Maine Beers?

As of the writing of this article, the shutdown of the federal government has gone on for nearly a week and a half.

As expected, very little changed during the first few days.  But now, as the shutdown inches toward two weeks, we are seeing delays in several areas and the complete suspension of activity in other departments.

Now, it appears that the shutdown could soon affect Maine's thriving craft beer industry.

According to a WGME article, the Alcohol Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau, the department which handles licensing new breweries, issues licenses, and issues permits is shut down.

Any beer already approved by the federal government can still be sold across state lines.  But if a brewery rolls out a new beer or even just a new label, it’s a different story. Those can’t be sold out of state until they get federal approval.

And here’s the problem.  The holiday season is when a lot of breweries release new craft beers.  But right now, the federal office that signs off on those beers is closed.

Before the shutdown, Alcohol Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau announced that it had suspended most operations.  That means applications for permits, new formulas, and export certificates won’t be reviewed or processed until the government is funded again.

The good news is that any new beers can get approval to be sold in Maine.  However, they won't be able to be sold in other states.  Of course, for breweries that bring in a large part of their income from sales in other states, this could be disastrous.

You can read more about the situation HERE