After 8 months of negotiating, The New Jersey Division of Alcohol Beverage Control has made a new set of restrictions on craft breweries. This has been widely debated, as to whether or not breweries have an unfair advantage over restaurants whose liquor licenses cost significantly more, while officials don't want to hurt small businesses by giving too many regulations. The breweries won't be able to sell food, nor have food trucks either. They can post menus of local restaurants that can deliver to them, which I personally think helps everyone involved. I think their ruling on making it mandatory to tour the brewery first is ridiculous and a waste of everyone's time.
Craft beer breweries have been exploding in popularity over the past several years. The New Jersey Division of Alcohol Beverage Control has placed new regulations on breweries that limit the amount of promotions and events they can legally do. They also will need to get special permits in advance to hold these events. Breweries are against these new regulations, while some bars and restaurants are in favor feeling it may level the playing field for them.
Awesome Girlfriend Megan and I LOVE exploring breweries and new yummy craft beer. Our favorite brewery in Jersey has to be Asbury Park Brewery. We went to Asbury Park earlier last summer, and Asbury Park Brewery played a large role in Meg and I still having a great time despite rain all weekend long. We highly recommend the Sea Dragon IPA.
The state cracking down has impacted local breweries that Awesome Girlfriend Megan and I frequent too. Last April the state cracked down on Czig Meister in Hackettstown allowing dogs in their venue, because a bylaw counts beer as food. Even though wine or beer often tends to be my dinner, I think it's rather ridiculous to count serving beer the same as preparing and serving food. Even though I'm an animal lover, the compromise of allowing them on the nearby patio can still be enjoyable for many.
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