Calling NH Democrats: Open the Craft Beer Market

New Hampshire craft beer lovers are traveling to neighboring states to buy great craft beer because New Hampshire liquor laws make it difficult to sell out of state craft beer in New Hampshire. The Democrats that currently control the state legislature and hold the corner office need to change that with legislation and regulatory reform. Why am I picking on Democrats? Because they have the power to bring and pass legislation.

There is great news this morning that our local favorite Smuttynose Brewing Company is rapidly expanding their operations at their new facility in Hampton New Hampshire. The expansion will soon allow them to sell beer in Tennessee.  But are other great brewing companies coming to New Hampshire to sell beer? Sure, some of them are and that list is growing slowly, but New Hampshire has a long way to go to catch up to Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine.

Particularly problematic is our onerous registration system that is cumbersome, lengthy, and expensive. Democrats need to change that. Out of state brewers have told me they spend a good portion of their compliance energies dealing with New Hampshire regulatory hurdles. Others have told me that it is not a good business investment for them to try to come to New Hampshire at all when they can distribute much more easily in other states. Huh? The Live Free or Die State has regulatory burdens that are worse than Massachusetts? Can't be. Unfortunately it is true.

New Hampshire sells a lot of alcohol but much of it is sold to people from neighboring states and much of it is what we call macro-beer. It is the big corporate brands. Our penetration into the craft beer market is relatively small by comparison with other states. We need to change that.

So, let's get going and open up our craft beer market. We can start tomorrow by lessening the regulatory burdens on brewers that want to sell their beers here. New Hampshire craft beer consumers deserve the best craft beer in the world. Let's make it happen.