N.B. brewer frustrated with prohibition against craft beer sales in farmers’ markets

A brewery owner has asked the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety and NB Liquor why craft brewers can't sell at farmers' markets but hasn't received a clear response.

Anthony Maddalena, owner of Bagtown Brewing in Sackville, N.B., was forced to come up with a creative workaround when he learned he couldn’t sell craft beer at farmers’ markets in New Brunswick.

He sold empty growlers at the Sackville farmer’s market with a voucher customers could take to his brewery just a few blocks away to fill the growler with beer.

“Originally we thought it would be a great idea to promote the brewery. It ended up being a hassle,” he said.

He’s since given up on the logistically complicated solution. Instead, he has opened the microbrewery early on Saturday mornings in the hope of attracting market-goers.

Michael Freeman, manager of the Sackville Farmers’ market, says he would like to be able to allow craft brewers to sell at the market.

“Farmers’ markets exist to incubate all of these small Mom and Pop businesses that are getting started in our communities,” he said. “To see someone excluded for legislative reasons is disappointing.”

Maddalena is on the market board of directors.

Meanwhile, Sackville is minutes away from the Nova Scotia border, where craft beer is freely sold in farmers’ markets.