Governor Cares About Craft Beer

Cuomo_CarboneNY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo is taking craft beer seriously! Like Gov. Hickenlooper in Colorado, Gov. Cuomo sees the economic potential in our state’s growing craft beer scene. In fat, he has formed the first-ever NY Craft Brewer Workgroup, which will put forth recommendations on ways to continue spurring the rapid expansion of the state’s craft beer sector. Among the appointees to this important “think tank” is our very own Jimmy Carbone.

Jimmy met the governor at this year’s Wine, Beer, Spirits and Cider Summit, where he weighed in on the NYC craft beer scene and the need to help small craft beer businesses, such as gastropubs like Jimmy’s No. 43 and nano-brewers and the farmers who are growing local hops or opening up malting facilities. The governor sees the synergies of so many diverse (yet related) businesses related to craft beverages, the need for education, the agriculture of NY State (which was once the hops growing capital of the world), as well as brewers/vintners/cider makers and retailers who sell fine-crafted alcohol beverages.

“New York’s craft beer industry has seen tremendous growth in the past four years – and we plan to keep the momentum going,” Governor Cuomo said in the announcement of the panel. “By bringing together leaders from industry, academia and the public sector, we can make sure that the Empire State becomes an even better place to brew and promote world-class beverages.”

As part of the governor’s workgroup, Jimmy will be a part of improving communication between all segments of the craft brew industry and state government. He and fellow panel members (which also includes Steve Hindy of Brooklyn Brewery, GrowNYC’s June Russell, and NYS Brewers Association President Dave Katleski, among other beer luminaries) will work together to identify emerging needs, including research on new varieties of hops and barley, production methods and consumer trends; as well as making sure that the state has the infrastructure in place for this growing industry.

The workgroup will also continue where the summit left off by reviewing areas of potential regulatory reform and guiding the continued development of Empire State Development’s One Stop Shop, which is designed to provide New York’s beverage producers with a single point of government contact for assistance regarding regulations and licensing.

We hope you’ll come by this weekend and raise a glass to toast this panel and congratulate our very own Jimmy on his appointment!