The craft beer industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. According to the Brewers Association, the industry volume grew by a whopping 18% in 2013.The New Hampshire craft beer scene is coming alive as part of that impressive trend, but it needs to grow even further if we want to compete with neighboring states. Craft beer is good business and it is great for the local economy. It also tastes better than the watered down corporate national brands.
According to Jeff Cozzens, CEO of Schilling Beer Company in Littleton, New Hampshire, "Granite Staters are among the nation's leaders in annual per-capita consumption of beer, only about 10 percent of what they drink is brewed here, which is significantly lower than neighboring Vermont." This has to change.
What can we do about it?
- Continue to support the development of new craft breweries with favorable laws and easy to navigate regulations.
- Make it very easy for craft brewers to get new beers approved for distribution.
- Start growing more hops in New Hampshire and support the local farmers that do!
- Resist the proposed FDA spent grain mandates that affect profitability.
- Allow retail establishments to do growler fills in their own facilities with beer from New Hampshire craft brewers - as Vermont does.
- Allow craft brewers to form distribution co-ops with each other.
- Eliminate the infamous grocery food requirement that mandates that beer retailers also sell foodstuffs at their stores.
- Encourage New Hampshire people to drink New Hampshire made craft beer. Reject the big corporate brands.
So, let's get going and open up this market ever further. Live free and drink craft beer!
