Shutdown Threatens Beer Industry

Even beer is not immune to the effects of a government shutdown. With nearly even facet of Federal regulation facing furloughs for the time being, one of them is tasked with regulating alcohol - and that has impacts on both new brewers awaiting their licenses and existing brewers making new beers. The Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is forced to furlough all but 35 of their 518 employees starting today, per their shutdown plan shared on the Treasury Department’s website. No new licenses or new beers approved. The 35 people remaining will continue to collect excise taxes on beer.