North Branford Potato & Corn Festival May Feature Beer & Wine

NORTH BRANFORD, CT - Town officials are looking at the idea of having a beer and wine tasting event at this year’s Potato & Corn Festival.

Deputy Mayor Rose Marie Angeloni said that Alex DeFrancesco of DeFrancesco Farms, who would like to operate a farm brewery in town, brought up the idea for such an event last year but there wasn’t enough time to develop the event.

The idea, Angeloni said, would to have people purchase a wristband to gain entry to a designated area where local breweries and wineries would present tasting opportunities.

No alcohol would actually be sold, per say, but rather people would pay a fee for the event in order to taste the various beers and wines from local breweries and vineyards.

The area would be policed to make sure that everyone was of legal age.

The council agreed to discuss the matter further at the next meeting.

Allowing farm breweries to operate in town, which would include manufacturing and brewing of beer, retail sale of beer, tasting rooms and events has been the subject public hearings recently in front of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

DeFrancesco said since the state legislature passed legislation allowing the brewing of beer under a manufacturing permit on a farm it has been his intention to do so.

On February 1st, zoners approved an amendment, It goes into effect meaning anyone, including DeFrancesco can apply to operate a farm brewery in North Branford.

When and if an application is received, the zoners would review it, hold a public hearing, and eventually vote on it.