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Liberty Lake brewery can't build new taproom until shutdown ends

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau must approve all breweries and their labels. The Bureau is an agency of the federal government, so that means while the government is shut down, so is the Bureau.

The Hidden Mother Brewery based in Liberty Lake will have to hold off on building their new taproom until the government shutdown ends. 

That’s because the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau must approve all breweries and their labels. The Bureau is an agency of the federal government, so that means while the government is shut down, so is the Bureau.

Mike Detar, owner of Hidden Mother, opened his brewery just last year. He planned on opening a taproom by the Spokane Arena. 

“It’s kind of a nightmare, but it’s one of those things you have to deal with,” Detar said. 

Business Insider reports that the TTB approves new locations for breweries and issues permits. 

“They’re creating a total jam of everything they have to deal with on their side, with the administration,” Detar said. “It’s not a matter of taking a pile of paper and going through it, they have to sort out all the mess that’s being created.”

Not only is Hidden Mother feeling the impacts, but so are other breweries across the Northwest. Breweries making new labels for nationwide release also need approval from the TTB.

Estimates show that once the agency re-opens, there will be quite a backlog of work. Some estimates show it will take over a month to catch up. 

So for Detar, that means this process could potentially drag on. The date he can start serving up craft beer here may keep getting pushed back.

“I’m really crossing my fingers and really hoping that’s not the case,” Detar said. “Again, you deal with what you have.”

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