New FDA regulations could cost local breweries

FORT MYERS, Fla.- A new U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) mandate has some local breweries wondering if they are going to have to put a cap on the tap.

Regulations will soon require nutritional content for brews that are offered at chain restaurants.

Nick Schmidt is one of the owners of Old Soul Brewing, he and his partners have big goals.

“We want to be a destination brewery, preferably off the grid somewhere, that’s our big goal. Think volleyball courts, pavilions, barbecuing, trails, brew house,” said Schmidt.

The new law will require breweries to list the nutritional content for their craft if they want to serve at chain restaurants. But the problem is, the equipment to test each batch, for things like calories count, is expensive, and some are saying it’s going to cost beer-makers big bucks.

“We run on a shoestring budget. All the money that we make here goes into either expanding or paying our bills, keeping the lights on, whatever. We don’t have the luxury of buying a piece of equipment that may cause $100,000 plus,” said Rod Whyte, owner of Fort Myers Brewery.

Some brewers say the equipment is too expensive and sending the suds off to a lab for testing is too timely.

“I’m not gonna sit here and say that I like the idea whatsoever. I think, why are we adding more regulation to something that is perfectly regulated? The state knows everything about me. They know how much beer I produce, how much beer is consumed here. They know everything, like why do you need to know more?” said Schmidt.

There are still a lot of grey areas for the grain-mashing connoisseurs.

“Am I going to develop a recipe, discover calories for the recipe and then never have to pay that bill again? Or am I going to have to pay it every time I brew this beer? said Schmidt.

 

The regulations were supposed to take effect Dec. 2015, but to give the breweries more time to figure out labeling, the FDA has granted them another year to sort it out.