Craft beer taps squeezed as shutdown delays new releases

The nation's craft beer taps are being squeezed by the government shutdown, which has put new releases on hold, prevented new breweries from opening and stopped shipments of some suds across state lines.

The partial shutdown halted operations at the federal agency that regulates alcohol production and distribution. That means government employees can't issue the permits needed for the beer to flow.

Brewers are increasingly nervous that they will lose money if brewery openings and seasonal beers are delayed much longer in the dispute over President Trump's demand for taxpayer funding of a wall along the border with Mexico.