10/16/2025
Since 2023, more than one in seven New Jersey breweries have shut their doors. Costs are up, competition is fierce, and instead of relief, our state regulators have doubled down with rules that make survival even harder.
The NJ Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) has proposed a new set of regulations that pile on fees, restrict collaborations, and — worst of all — continue to prohibit breweries from serving food or partnering with food vendors.
That rule makes no sense. Bars can serve food freely under local health and zoning laws, but breweries cannot. It’s an unfair, outdated restriction that hurts small businesses, drives customers across state lines, and arguably oversteps the ABC’s own legal authority.
As an attorney and a craft beer supporter, I submitted my public comment urging the state to repeal the food-service prohibition and realign its rules with the Legislature’s original intent — to remove harmful barriers and help small manufacturers grow.
If you care about local business, community gathering spaces, and fair competition, please take two minutes to make your voice heard.
📧 Submit your comment by November 1:
Send an email to [email protected]
Subject line: Public Comment – Brewery Regulations
Tell them New Jersey’s breweries deserve a fair shot.
