The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Shoreline brewery owners talk pandemic challenges
ESSEX — A recent virtual discussion centered facilitated by state Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, highlighted the pandemic-related experiences of several independent breweries operating in his 33rd District.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the breweries’ business practices since March 2020, and caused breweries to struggle in selling their offerings in the current market, Needleman said in a press release.
The participants discussed specific challenges the breweries face in surviving the challenging winter season, and what solutions could assist them until the pandemic’s abatement or widespread adoption of vaccines allow for resumption of traditional practices, the statement said.
Brewery owners included Dave Peichert, co-owner of Concentric Brewing Company of Portland; Carlisle Schaeffer and Sam Wagner, co-founders of Little House Brewing Co. of Chester; Kerstin Fluegeman and Spencer Waldron, owners of High Nine Brewing of Deep River; and Justin Terribile, co-owner and director
of sales and marketing for 30 Mile Brewing of Old Saybrook.
“Independent breweries have been one of Connecticut’s strongest business success stories in recent years, and we cannot allow the COVID-19 pandemic to change that,” Needleman said in a prepared statement. “I’m hopeful that federal assistance and state support can help them find improvements. With several breweries reporting strong declines in business, we need to find solutions as soon as we can.”
“Like many small businesses, COVID has been nothing short of scary,” Peichert said in the statement. “Right after signing our lease and beginning the build-out of our brewery, the pandemic really took hold and things began closing down. We had spent a fair amount of time analyzing the market and carefully planning every aspect of our business but a global pandemic never hit our radar.”
Brewery owners reported many strategies adopted in the wake of the pandemic, including shifts to to-go
sales and deals to supply local restaurants with draft beer, but continue to struggle in light of strong declines in customer traffic, Needleman said.
Discussions centered around the winter months, in which breweries are seeing their worst sales amid strict limits on customers allowed, increased spread of COVID-19 and other difficulties, said Needleman, who plans to seek assistance for them through the Department of Community and Economic Development.