Poll: NJ residents say breweries should be able to sell food

Are current restrictions on New Jersey breweries keeping residents from visiting them in the first place?

A group representing the Garden State's craft beer industry suggests that's a clear takeaway from poll results released on Tuesday out of Stockton University.

In the poll conducted by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton, just 29% of New Jersey adults said that they had been to a brewery in the past year.

At the same time, close to two-thirds told the poll that they are against rules in place that limit the number of events that breweries can host and prohibit them from coordinating with food vendors to serve snacks and meals.

The current restrictions have been promoted as a mechanism to keep breweries from getting the same clearance as genuine restaurants and bars, which put out much more money to secure a liquor license.

"These numbers represent a conflict between state regulators trying to level the playing field and consumers demanding that the market provide what they want," said John Froonjian, director of the Hughes Center.

In the poll, 78% of respondents said they would support the idea of breweries selling food. Sixteen percent would be opposed.

“While overall liquor license reform may be controversial, it’s obvious that New Jersey residents support lifting these ridiculous restrictions on breweries," Eric Orlando, executive director of the Brewers Guild of New Jersey, said in response to the poll results.

The Brewers Guild is pushing for passage of legislation that would allow the holder of a limited brewery license to hold an unlimited number of events on site, and permit brewery patrons to eat food that was prepared by a restaurant, food vendor, or food truck.

Gov. Phil Murphy has included a looser leash on New Jersey breweries in his push to reform liquor license laws in the state.

Dino Flammia is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com

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