New Hampshire. You are a progressive and forward-thinking state. Live free or die! That’s the New Hampshire state motto. If you need an example of the state’s freedom-first attitude, look no further than its brewing laws. New Hampshire is the only state in the nation to recognize and codify nanobreweries as separate from large-scale beverage manufacturers, according to an excellent article from New Hampshire State Impact (a reporting project pulled together by New Hampshire local public media and NPR).
According to the article, “In doing so, the state lowered certain Prohibition-era liquor limitations that make it hard for the little guys to get a license, open a tap room and get brewing, including a requirement that a brewery sell hot food if they wish to serve beer. A year and a half after the nanobrewery law went into effect, New Hampshire has seven nanobreweries, and a few more on the way.”
The nanobrewery trend continues to grow throughout the United States. While there is no true definition for a nanobrewery, leaders like Hess Brewing in San Diego define it as less than 3 barrels (bbl) in production per batch and usually less than 2,000 bbls a year.
