New Jersey has passed legislation to provide for a cidery and meadery license. Licensees can make up to 50,000 barrels of hard cider and 250,000 barrels of mead a year, sell and distribute to licensed wholesalers and retailers, maintain a warehouse, and sell its products at retail from the licensed premises for both off-site and on-site consumption.
It’s actually more favorable than a limited brewery license. The cidery and meadery license holders won’t need to insure their customers tour the premises before buying cider or mead for on-site consumption. They can also serve snacks, such as crackers, chips and nuts, that limited-license breweries are specifically prohibited from selling, The Act also allows the cidery and meadery licensee to ship up to 12 cases of mead (but not hard cider) directly to a consumer a year.