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New Hampshire’s New Booze Law Will Hamstring the State’s Brewpubs

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New Hampshire’s New Booze Law Will Hamstring the State’s Brewpubs


The rationale behind New Hampshire’s new brewpub regulation is more headache-inducing than the beer.

On Friday, New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed House Bill 242 into law. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. John Hunt (R–Rindge), will take effect in August and limits brewpubs in the state to self-distributing their beer to only one additional restaurant or business outside their premises. The bill is a follow-up to H.B. 1380, also sponsored by Hunt in 2024, which limited the amount of beer or cider a brewpub could sell to 2,500 barrels a year and permitted licensed brewpub owners to obtain licenses to sell their product on their premises in bars and at off-premise locations like grocery stores, so long as they didn’t have a manufacturing license.

If the law sounds like it will keep brewpubs small, that’s because it’s intended to do so. “This is what we call a very inside baseball bill,” Hunt told the New Hampshire Bulletin

Hunt said that H.B. 242 was designed to preserve the state’s current regulatory system, describing New Hampshire as a “three-tier state,” where businesses operate as either beverage manufacturers, distributors, or retailers. By restricting brewpubs from becoming a one-stop shop that acts as a “bottler…distributor” and “retailer,” Hunt said the bill is intended to safeguard the “monopoly” held by beer distributors in the middle tier of this system.”Frankly, I think the relationship between the distributors and the licensees (retailers) is pretty sacred, and it works well, and there’s no reason to upset them.”

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The bill was supported by the state’s restaurant and lodging trade group. “You have to understand, in order for one of these brewpubs to make enough beer to self distribute to more than one additional location, they would have to make an enormous amount of beer…and frankly, most of them didn’t think they could make enough beer to even distribute to another location,” Mike Somers, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, told the New Hampshire Bulletin. “Most of the folks in the industry that I’ve talked to didn’t really feel that the restriction was much of a restriction, because they could now own multiple brewpubs and restaurants.” 

Rather than having the freedom to ramp up production and distribution, Somers contends that brewpub owners would rather start new brands and businesses from scratch.

This wasn’t the only booze-related bill that passed the governor’s desk: Ayotte also signed H.B. 467 and let H.B. 81 become law without her signature. H.B. 467 allows municipalities to create designated “social districts” where people can legally consume alcohol outdoors. These areas must be clearly marked with signs indicating the permitted times and boundaries, and all alcohol must be purchased from businesses within the district. Separately, H.B. 81 permits restaurant patrons to bring their drinks with them to the restroom.

While both laws ease some restrictions on consumer alcohol use, they stop short of meaningfully reducing the state’s overall control of alcoholic beverages. And now, New Hampshire’s brewpubs will face more hurdles to scaling up the production and distribution of their beer. 

In keeping with that spirit, the state would be better served by promoting policies that encourage innovation, rather than anticompetitive laws like H.B. 242 that restrict consumer choice and unfairly penalize brewpubs for their market success.

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The post New Hampshire’s New Booze Law Will Hamstring the State’s Brewpubs appeared first on Reason.com.



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Surprise Dem frontrunner emerges in early 2028 New Hampshire presidential poll

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Surprise Dem frontrunner emerges in early 2028 New Hampshire presidential poll


A surprise Democratic frontrunner has emerged in an early poll of New Hampshire voters ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came out on top in the Granite State Poll of likely Democratic Party primary voters, released on Monday.

Buttigieg garnered 19% support in the poll, the New York Post reported.

Buttigieg in the poll topped California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has for months been the favorite in legal betting markets to land the 2028 Democratic Party nomination for president.

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Newsom finished second in the Granite State Poll, with 15% support.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) captured 14% in the poll, with former Vice President Kamala Harris at 11%.

Buttigieg, Newsom, AOC and Harris were the only candidates who garnered double-digit support in the poll.

Other candidates getting support in the poll included Sen. Bernie Sanders at 8% and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker at 6%.

Buttigieg is the most popular of the Dem contenders, with an 81% favorability rating.

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That outpaces Newsom’s 58% favorability rating, which was good for fourth place in that category, behind Buttigieg, Sanders and AOC.

The Granite State Poll showed GOP Vice President JD Vance far ahead of the field for the 2028 Republican Party presidential nomination.

Vance got the support of 51% of likely GOP primary voters in New Hampshire.

Vance also leads the pack with a 77% approval rating, according to the poll.

Vance has for months also been the far-and-away leader on legal gambling sites for the 2028 GOP presidential nod.

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Finishing a distant second in th Granite State Poll was former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, with 9%. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard got 8% in the survey.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, touted by President Donald Trump as the ideal vice-presidential running mate for Vance, polled 5% in the Granite State survey.

Rubio’s 58% favorability rating is second only to Vance’s in the poll, however.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution precludes Trump from seeking a third term in office.

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Woman found dead by NH construction site, police seek help IDing her

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Woman found dead by NH construction site, police seek help IDing her


A woman was found dead near a construction site in Derry, New Hampshire, on Monday, police said, asking for help identifying her.

There was no indication of foul play in the death of the woman, whose body was reported by workers about 1:25 p.m. on Birch Street near Rockingham Road, according to Derry police.

The woman was seen on video days before walking to the area alone, apparently sick or impaired, police said. She stumbled and fell as she walked past a retention pond and landed near it.

The location is hard to see from a nearby business and driveway, according to police.

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They described her as being about 45 to 50, with dark blond, slightly longer than shoulder-length hair. She wore a black sweatshirt, a floral skirt about mid-thigh length and grey sneakers, but no purse, cellphone or ID.

Anyone with information about the woman’s identity was asked to call Derry police at 603-432-6111.



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Providence driver hurt after box truck crash in New Hampshire

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Providence driver hurt after box truck crash in New Hampshire


NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. (WPRI) — A Providence man was injured Sunday morning after a box truck crashed on I-95 south in North Hampton, New Hampshire.

According to New Hampshire State Police, the truck veered off the road just before 9:30 a.m., traveling about 50 feet down an embankment before crashing into the tree line.

Box truck crashed into tree line off I-95 in North Hampton on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (Courtesy: New Hampshire State Police)

First responders cut through the trees to reach the driver, who was trapped inside the cab. He was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

State police said the highway was closed for about five hours as crews cleared the scene.

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Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information is asked to contact Trooper Alison J. Baumbach at (603) 223-4381 or Alison.J.Baumbach@dos.nh.gov.

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