With no action by Murphy to roll back restrictions, breweries launch ‘Sign The Bill Phil’ IPA

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While legislation that would overturn some of the state’s restrictions on breweries, cideries and distilleries awaits a signature from Gov. Phil Murphy, Lakewood-based Icarus Brewing and The Brewers Guild of New Jersey have teamed up on a special edition brew dubbed “Sign The Bill Phil.”

The IPA is the latest to launch under the Brew Jersey initiative, which is a nationwide open-ended collaborative beer project founded last fall to support local brewery owners as they rally against the regulations imposed on the industry.

As part of a ruling handed down four years ago by the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, New Jersey’s growing craft brewing industry must comply with a series of regulations, including limits on the number of on-site events that can be held and a ban on offering food, serving coffee and coordinating with food vendors.

The rules – which went into effect July 1, 2022 – also require breweries to give patrons a tour of the facility before they can consume alcohol.

Following concerns from the industry that the rules could put them out of business or force them across state lines, lawmakers began looking to roll back those measures to help New Jersey breweries compete with those in nearby states.

Approved unanimously by the state Senate on June 26 and the state Assembly on June 30, the legislation would repeal limitations on how many special events a brewery can host, along with a rule that prevents them from working with vendors to serve food or providing packaged snacks. The measure also gives licensed alcoholic beverage manufacturers the option to hold an unlimited number of private parties on premises each year and the ability to host up to 25 off-premises special events and 25 social affairs events per year.

Despite the action by the Legislature, Murphy has so far declined to sign the bill into law, prompting Brew Jersey to band together in support of change.

Like previous Brew Jersey collaborations, breweries from across the U.S. are invited to take part and use the project’s label template to brew their own batch of Sign The Bill Phil. Interested breweries should contact [email protected] for more information.

Participating breweries are asked to donate at least 25% of the proceeds from their sale of Brew Jersey to the Brewers Guild of New Jersey to support its advocacy work for regulatory change in Trenton, according to Icarus.

Seven breweries — Buttzville Brewing, Ghost Hawk Brewing, Farmers and Bankers Brewing, Seventribesmen, Toms River Brewing, Fort Nonsense Brewing Company and Departed Soles Brewing — have joined the collaboration and will be brewing their own batch of Brew Jersey: Sign The Bill, Phil.

Murphy – who vowed in January to overhaul the state’s decades-old liquor license system – plans to issue a conditional veto so the measure can be included in a larger reform effort.

In a statement to NJBIZ, Jennifer Sciortino, a spokesperson for the administration, said, “The Governor unequivocally supports easing restrictions on New Jersey breweries, which is why he proposed these reforms himself earlier this year. However, he has been clear that our outdated liquor license system needs comprehensive reform, not a piecemeal approach, in order to ensure equity and affordability so that all small businesses and the entire industry as a whole will benefit.”

If the measure fails, Brewers Guild of New Jersey Executive Director Eric Orlando believes Brew Jersey can play an important role in supporting the industry as it continues to advocate for change. “It helps keep the issue at the front of mind for folks and brings resources into the guild,” said Orlando, who added that it also gives consumers a way to urge the governor to enact the law.

Recently, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced that the ABC is suspending enforcement of the special ruling through Dec. 31, 2023, which is the end of the current legislative term.

Sciortino cited that move, saying it provides “the relief brewery owners had been largely seeking under the bill” in the meantime.

Depending on where the matter stands come Jan. 1, 2024, the ABC will reassess and offer further guidance to the industry, according to Platkin.

Though the ABC has paused enforcement, Orlando said, “The clock is ticking on that and we still need a permanent solution … January 1, 2024 will be here soon and I want to get something accomplished and signed into law.”