Executive Director's Kegside Chat #01 - 7/21/2022
Happy Thursday Members!
I want to thank all of you who have welcomed me into the NJBA world since coming on board in March. I am sorry I haven't been able to connect with more of you but I will continue my brewery tours and come to as many events as possible.
This will be the first of Thursday emails highlighting what my week has looked like. I hope this will let us connect and provide insights into what your Executive Director does. But first:
A CALL TO ACTION
Obviously the biggest thing I've been working on with the Board and our advocacy team is the 2019 ABC Special Ruling that was connected to the recent licensing renewal process. While the legislature will not reconvene until September, we are working towards a positive solution.
It's important to note this is not just a craft brewery issue - this will impact the entire craft world in New Jersey and that's why NJBA is coordinating activities with like-minded organizations such as the NJ Craft Distillers Guild.
Our efforts are NOT a waste of time or energy. The Brewers Association has informed us that around 3000 emails have been sent to the Governor's office on this issue and that cannot be ignored!
What can you do? Check out our new resources on the recently updated NJBA website so members and supporters can contact the Governor's Office and members of the state legislature as part of our letter writing campaign. You can find these resources here: https://www.njbeer.org/help-save-nj-beer.
There will be a more detailed discussion on this topic at the next NJBA meeting, I hope to see you there!
Who Am I?
Since this is my first weekly email, I wanted to start with the basics. I'm still putting the "new" in New Jersey as I've lived here less than two years but I like to think it gives me a unique outlook that helps me to serve this industry. I live in Collingswood with my girlfriend and our two cats. Prior to coming to the Garden State, I grew up in Florida, went to the University of Florida (Go Gators) then Indiana University for law school (Go Hoosiers), and spent the bulk of my career inside the Washington, DC beltway as a public policy and advocacy professional for various industries including the alcohol world.
I spent over five years working for the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA), the organization of the 17 control states. If you don't know what a control state is, just ask. In this position, I saw the disconnect between states and craft alcohol - I even assisted in a presentation at an NABCA conference called Coping With Craft. I was also the association's point person for all things TTB-related.
And to answer the question on every member's mind: Pumpkin ales, porters, and stouts.
My Latest Brewery Visit
I visited with Pola and Sean at Lower Forge and had a great conversation on their community involvement, upcoming plans for the brewery, and hopes for the NJBA moving forward over a glass of their Winter Witch imperial golden stout.
The Next NJBA Meeting IS:
Monday, August 8 at ModTek. Please be on the lookout for an agenda and Zoom link on Monday, July 25.
This Weekend's Member Activities
(If I missed an event your brewery is holding or participating in this weekend, I apologize. Please send your event information to director@njbeer.org.)
Montclair Brewery will be having their weekly Open Mic Night on Thursday from 7pm to 9:30pm and Live Music Friday and Saturday from 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Two members will be holding Christmas in July events this weekend:
Seven Tribesmen Brewery on Saturday, July 23 from 12pm to 11pm and Eight & Sand Beer on Sunday, July 24 from 3pm to 5:15pm.
Neck of the Woods Brewing, Eight & Sand Beer, and 13th Child Brewery will be at Lot 323 on Friday, July 22 from 6pm to 9:30pm.
7 Mile, Bucket Brigade, COHO Brewing, Cold Spring, Ludlum Island, and MudHen will be at the Cape May MAC Craft Beer, Music, & Crab Festival on Saturday, July 23 from 10am to 5pm.
Quote of the Week
"New Jersey is the most poetic state: close enough to New York to be urban and cosmopolitan, far enough to be desirous and unsure; densely populated, but full of farms and woods, with the most deer of any state." - Robert Pinsky
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or just want to say hi, I'm always available at director@njbeer.org or 856-850-6610.
Thank you for making it all the way through our first Keg-Side Chat. Talk to you next week!
Nick Capezza
Executive Director
New Jersey Brewers Association