ALBANY – Two of State Senator Michelle Hinchey’s bills to help New York’s growing farm breweries and craft distilleries were signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul.
One bill establishes parity between distillers and all other alcoholic beverage manufacturers in New York regarding certain tasting and retail privileges. Another bill maintains farm brewery beer labeling requirements through 2028.
The first piece of legislation allows craft distillers to participate in new income-generating activities they’ve previously been barred from under state law, including the ability to conduct tastings at licensed locations and sell their products both on and off-premises.
The other measure gives farm breweries more time, until 2029, to comply with a law that says New York State beer must be made primarily from locally grown ingredients. Under current law, a farm brewery can only sell “New York labeled beer” when 60 percent of all hops and other ingredients are grown in New York. That standard was set to increase to 90 percent in 2024, which would have been hard for farm brewers to comply with given gaps in production and supply, necessitating Hinchey’s bill to give more time for businesses to meet that threshold.
“Small breweries and distilleries have become anchors of our upstate economies, creating local jobs, supporting local agriculture, attracting local tourism, and then reinvesting those profits back into our communities,” said Hinchey. “I’m proud that Governor Hochul has signed two of my bills that will make it easier for New York’s craft beverage businesses to operate, increase their profits, and continue serving us their great products.”
