The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has issued a message to industry stakeholders acknowledging the impact the shutdown has caused for day-to-day operations for brewers. The agency is now working to restore normal processing times with updates being posted on TTB.gov as recovery efforts progress.

TTB’s Immediate Priorities

The TTB is taking several steps to reduce the backlog and stabilize service levels by:

• Streamlining internal review processes to move applications more efficiently
• Shifting staff into the highest-need areas
• Authorizing overtime to accelerate turnaround times

How Brewers Can Help Speed the Recovery

The TTB asks industry members to take a few actions of their own to ease the backlog:

• Withdraw outdated or unnecessary applications
• Wait to submit new applications until formulations or labels are final
• Double-check that all submissions are complete and accurate
• Use TTB.gov resources before calling or emailing to reduce inquiry volume