Craft beer brewers warn that Florida coronavirus rules could kill their businesses

Here is a link to many coronavirus resources

Brewers of craft beer in Florida say they’re unfairly bearing major economic hardships because of state coronavirus rules. In a letter to the governor and the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Florida Brewers Guild warns that the entire industry is in jeopardy because most breweries can only serve craft beer to go.

The Florida Brewers Guild predicts that more than 100 of its craft breweries will go out of business permanently in the next two weeks.

WMNF interviewed Jillian Lynch, who owns Leaven Brewing in Riverview.

“I think we can open safely. … It’s just like a restaurant. People sit at tables to enjoy one another. We don’t normally have packs of people in here congregating real close. It’s not like a college bar where you have people huddled around the bar trying to get a drink. It’s a very civilized place.”

The Florida Brewers Guild is having a campaign that’s really focused on today [Wednesday] and contacting the state’s DBPR?

“If you check out the Facebook page, Instagram page of the Florida Brewers Guild, you’ll find the letter that was written to the DBPR secretary … as well as our Governor Ron DeSantis. It’s pretty much just laying it all out there saying how breweries are community places and that we are in a losing game right now. We’re at a point where we may lose more than 100 breweries in the state of Florida.

“And you have to remember, breweries are mostly ‘Mom and Pop’ shops. It’s myself and my husband who opened this brewery. This is all we have. And if this doesn’t work out, we’re starting from scratch again with nothing.

“So, this letter just outlines what craft beer is. And if anyone is willing to help, you can go ahead and repost that letter and tag our governor @ Ron DeSantis.”

Listen: