State Assembly panel approves measure to relax restrictions on craft brewers
Craft brewers say the move to ease restrictions on them is a step in the right direction.
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A state Assembly panel approved a bill Wednesday that would relax restrictions on craft brewers.
The brewers say this is a step in the right direction, but they want the measure passed now before the Legislature is scheduled to leave for its first summer hiatus.
They want the restrictions that were put in place four years ago to be lifted. The restrictions include not having food trucks on site for customers, not offering nuts and chips and not allowing coffee. They are also only allowed to have a limited number of special events, which include trivia nights or paint and sip nights.
"We are severely behind the curve in this state," says Chuck Garrity, of Death of the Fox Brewing Company.
The restaurant industry is skeptical about the proposed reforms. They don't want brewers to take away business from existing bars and restaurants.
"Our hard line is really with cooking on the premises," says Dana Lancellotti, of the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association.
There is also controversy surrounding the governor's plan to gradually eliminate the limits on the number of licenses for each town to bring down the cost of getting a license.
Clinton Mayor Janice Kovach says a small business cannot afford $500,000 or $700,000 for a liquor license.
