ORLANDO, Fla. — Craft brewers across Florida say some breweries may close soon if the state continues with regulations put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus. 

Even when bars were closed, people could still come to breweries like Broken Strings Brewery in Parramore and sit down and try some beer.

And the owner, Charles Frizzell, says he kept things socially distanced and safe.

But when COVID-19 cases began surging again a few weeks ago, the state shut that down. Frizzell says to-go sales are only giving him about a fourth of his normal sales.

“For the first time ever, we’ve been forced to close more days this year than we’ve been allowed to be open,” said Frizzell.

On Tuesday, the Florida Brewers Guild wrote a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Halsey Beshears, secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation – pleading with state officials to allow craft breweries to open back up.

The letter states that a third of breweries across the state may have soon close, affecting more than 100 businesses, and the jobs of about 3,000 people.

Frizzell represents more than 30 breweries across Central Florida through the Central Florida Brewers Guild.

“There are a lot of breweries out there who are really hurting – and close to closing,” said Frizzell.

“You can’t just single out one small industry and allow everyone else to open and operate.  It’s just – I’m having trouble coming up with the right words for it – it’s just frustrating,” Frizzell said.

Spectrum News reached out to Secretary Beshears with the Florida Department of Business and Professional regulation with questions, but we did not immediately hear back.​