GUILDERLAND — The town’s first brewery hosted an event on Friday to call for the governor to sign a bill that would ease the way for new craft breweries to open.

“Happy National Beer Day,” said State Senator Michelle Hinchey, opening the press conference.

Hinchey, a Democrat who chairs the Senate’s agriculture committee, sponsored the bill as did Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, a Democrat representing the Binghamton area who chairs the Assembly’s agricultural committee, in her house.

The bill, which passed both houses unanimously, states it would “expand the temporary retail and manufacturing permits granted by the State Liquor Authority to all qualified alcohol beverage makers in New York State.”

Winemakers, since 1993, have been allowed to manufacture and sell wine while waiting for a permanent license. Hinchey and Lupardo’s bill, if signed into law, would allow all craft beverage makers — breweries, distilleries, cideries, and wineries — to apply for a six-month permit to get their business up and running, giving the liquor authority 45 days to approve or deny a submitted application.

Guy Bucey, whose Mixed Breed Brewing in Guilderland Center hosted the event, said “how much it hurts when you have to wait to get that license.” He went on, “It’s the epitome of the cart before the horse.”

Hinchey called for “parity across the industry” and said the economic impact of beverage manufacturing in New York State is over $10 billion and supports more than 100,000 jobs.

Paul Leone, who directs the New York State Brewers Association, said there are 485 breweries in New York, second only to California. 

Another ninety New York breweries right now are waiting for licenses, he said, a wait that can take up to six months. During the pandemic, Leone said, some went out of business.

The cider industry lost over 65 percent of its on-premise restaurant and bar sales over the last year, said Scott Ramsey, director of the New York Cider Association.

His organization was founded just over six years ago with a handful of cideries, he said, and now has over 110 cider producers with a total economic impact of $1.7 billion annually, providing over 6,000 jobs.

John Curtin, who founded Albany Distilling Company and who represents the New York State Distillers Guild, said the different alcoholic-beverage makers “support one another.” He described it as “more of a camaraderie than a competition.”

Danielle Walsh, who directs the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber wholeheartedly supports the bill. Walsh said she has watched the Capital Craft Beverage Trail grow from its start in Albany in 2015 to now encompass eight counties.

When a reporter asked Hinchey if it matters what governor is in office, Hinchey answered, “Any governor can sign this bill … whoever is sitting in the chair.”

She noted that 30 bills passed both houses during the last legislative session and 12 have so far been signed into law.