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The government shutdown is affecting a lot of people. Many government employees, including those of the TSA, FBI, and even the Coast Guard are working without pay. This is the longest shutdown in U.S. history and doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon. We see on the news all the families affected by this, but one of the most unlikely industries affected is the craft brewing industry.
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If it seems like your favorite craft brewery released a new beer every week (or every few weeks) that’s because they probably do. But, due to the government shutdown craft beer fans are going to see a lot fewer beers released in the upcoming months. That’s because, like most of the government, the agency in charge of approving beer labels is closed. That means that over-the-top, hop-fueled, milkshake IPA you’re expecting to see on shelves won’t be available any time soon.
The agency in question is the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The reason it’s not open is because it’s part of the Department of the Treasury. This has left a lot of brewers with beer they can’t sell unless it’s on draft. But when you brewed beer to be released in bottles and cans, that’s not really a happy ending for you.
The ever-lengthening time of the government shutdown is also forcing many brewers to scrap their spring release plans. Since they don’t know how long the shutdown will last, they’d be taking a huge gamble brewing new beer.
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Luckily, this doesn’t impact beer that’s already been in production or beer with labels approved before the shutdown. You can still get your tried and true brew, you just can’t really get anything new.
