Craft breweries were affected by the government shutdown. Now that it’s over, how are local breweries in CT doing?

On By Fred McNultyIn Videos

Was your favorite brewery affected by the government shutdown last month?

Due to the closure of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau during the government shutdown, many local breweries were adversely affected. Now that the shutdown is over, Mieum Media visited two craft breweries in Connecticut to see how things are going for them now.

Extended Interview with Tony Karlowicz:

Extended Interview with Tyler Jones and Tom Sobocinski:

Disclosure:

Black Hog Brewing offered Mieum Media a six-pack and a four-pack of some of their beer as a gift of goodwill. It was made clear that this gift–the value of which totaled $26.00 USD–would not alter the nature of the reporting. As the story was covering the state of the brewery during the 2018/2019 government shutdown–and not the quality of the products being served–the gift was given and accepted in good faith.

Citations:

#1: Peterson, Hayley. “The Government Shutdown is Holding New Craft Beers Hostage.” Business Insider, 4 Jan. 2019, http://www.businessinsider.com/government-shutdown-delays-new-beer-releases-2019-1. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

#2: Reiss, Max. “Government Shutdown Affecting Local Breweries.” NBC Connecticut, 11 Jan. 2019, http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Government-Shutdown-Affecting-Local-Breweries-504238931.html. Accessed 22 Feb. 2019.

#3: “Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.” TTB, http://www.ttb.gov. Accessed 22 Feb. 2019.

#4: Snider, Mike. “Cheers, There’s More Than 7,000 Breweries Operating in the US.” USA Today, 18 Dec. 2018, http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/12/18/craft-beer-expands-more-than-7-000-breweries-us/2206013002/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2019.

#5: Karlowicz, Tony. In-person interview. 18 Feb. 2019.

#6: Sacks, Ethan. “Government Shutdown is Brewing Trouble for America’s Craft Beer Makers.” NBC News, 12 Jan. 2019, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/government-shutdown-brewing-trouble-america-s-craft-beer-makers-n957751. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

#7: Tom Sobocinski, Tyler Jones. In-person interview. 21 Feb. 2019.

#8: Fisher, Max. “How Jimmy Carter Saved Craft Beer.” The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2010, http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/08/how-jimmy-carter-saved-craft-beer/315886/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

#9: Marisic, Katie. “How the Government Shutdown Impacts Breweries.” Brewers Association, 2 Jan. 2019, http://www.brewersassociation.org/news/how-the-government-shutdown-impacts-breweries/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

#10: “World: Global Number of Craft Breweries Increases to 17,732.” Inside Getränke, http://www.inside.beer/news/detail/world-global-number-of-craft-breweries-increases-to-17732.html. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

#11: Outro Song: “Fill Me In” by Atwaters featuring Yeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW0iKqFMoxo Used with artist’s consent. The contents and views of this video may not necessarily be shared with the artist.