As the U.S. federal government shutdown enters its fourth week, close to a million federal employees are without pay and the American economy is suffering to the tune of more than $1.5 billion per week. It’s enough to drive any red-blooded American to drink, but it looks like American craft brewers are feeling the pinch, too.
The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approves all new labels for alcoholic products before they go on sale. Guess what? They’re closed, too, so that means breweries (and distilleries, wineries and cideries) can’t release any new packaged products. Additionally, any breweries currently applying for loans are also hooped, as banks are unable to get required information from the federal government to process their loans.
Check out CNBC’s piece on what the government shutdown means for thousands of U.S. craft breweries.
Won’t someone please think of the beer???
