DC restaurants, bars, breweries feeling the shutdown impact

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - As we continue to hear the stories of workers and families affected by the government shutdown, the effects are extending beyond just government workers and contractors - local restaurants, bars, and even breweries are feeling the squeeze.

Time is running out on one brewery which may lose much of an entire tank of beer.

Atlas Brew Works in Ivy City is holding onto a tank of Apricot IPA, that it's been planning for a year.

The shelf life is just 120 days, and then it would need to be thrown out.

But before Atlas Brew Works can distribute the beer, an agency inside the Department of Treasury has to approve of the labels. And that process can't begin because of the government shutdown.

The taproom manager at Atlas Brew Works says a significant profit could be lost if the government doesn't open up soon and label approvals don't continue.

"So right now it's kind of in a holding period. We have a full tank of beer fermenting of the beer right now so once it's done we don't know if we're going to be able to sell it or put it out for distribution because 90 percent of the beer is slated to go out for distribution," said Atlas Brew Works General Manager Rachel Murray.

The shutdown is impacting local restaurants as well.

The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington said in a statement:

"The shutdown adds obvious pressure to the local economy, and it is especially hard as it stretches into January. This shutdown not only impacts government workers, but also local independently operated restaurants that rely on foot traffic and business created by the hard working Federal employees."

- Kathy E. Hollinger, President and CEO, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington

Label procedure applies to all breweries that ship across state lines.

One bright spot is, any Atlas IPA that can't be shipped can still be served on site - and the brewery is giving a 15 percent discount to government workers with an ID.