How the Shutdown is Affecting Your After-Work Life

Some new alcohol products are on hold because of the shutdown.

DULUTH, Minn; SUPERIOR, Wis.- Well into day 34 of the government shutdown, several federal workers are still without pay and some without work at all.

When it comes to the shutdown, it’s easy to think of how it’s affecting federal workers.

The TTB, or the Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau, is the section of the government that controls distribution of new alcohol products. Or the holding of alcohol products, in this case.

“They are the ones who check that label and make sure that we’ve done everything on our end correctly. Once that’s approved then we are allowed to sell the beer across state lines,” Earth Rider Brewery director of brands Brad Nelson said. “Things would have to change soon for us to change course.”

As for the Twin Ports, Earth Rider in Superior and Vikre Distillery in Canal Park are feeling the direct impact of the shutdown, potentially keeping their newest products off the shelves.

One of Earth Rider’s most popular taproom beers, the Duluth Coffee Pale Ale, won’t make it across state lines if the label isn’t approved before its planned distribution in March.

“Ironically, Duluth Coffee Pale Ale won’t be for sale in Duluth. Initially, at least. The way it looks,” Nelson said.

But for Vikre, the impact is even worse.

“W’re kind of restricted by a process, so one thing has to happen before the next thing can happen and so we’re just going to have to wait until our formula can be approved so that our label can be approved so that we can go ahead and start the printing,” Vikre product manager Erin Otis said.

For hard liquor sales, not even distribution within the state is allowed without approval of the alcohol’s formula, despite the distillery already submitting all necessary paperwork for their new product.

Vikre’s new product has yet to be released in any of it’s distilleries across the nation. They say it’s unlike anything they’ve sold before, but will stay in house until the shutdown ends.

“I think that we’re starting to see the effects of the long term shutdown and it’s causing some trouble for some more people,” Otis said.