The federal Alcohol Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) announced earlier this month that, as of the end of 2013, there were over 3700 active brewer’s notices on file with the TTB. A federal brewer’s notice is required to operate a brewery and sell beer in interstate commerce. That number represents a 12% increase over the total at the end of 2012, demonstrating the explosive growth in craft brewing in the United States.
The TTB also cited the government shutdown as contributing to the backlog of applications for both new breweries and new product or label approvals. While TTB notes it is “work[ing] tirelessly” to process these applications in a timely manner, that this backlog exists highlights the need to ensure that all applications are in order when they are submitted so further needless delay can be avoided.