Monmouth County breweries and distilleries are hoping to see a boost in business with a new county-wide initiative.

County officials announced on Wednesday a new initiative geared toward supporting tourism by highlighting breweries, distilleries and wineries. All are businesses that are still bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Getting through COVID was a nightmare for Red Bank,” says John Arcara, of Red Tank Brewing Company. “It still is. It hasn’t recovered yet. It’s been really hard for us.”

Arcara and his wife opened Red Tank Brewing Company four years ago. Two years in, the pandemic struck.

“Like everyone, we had to close down for an extended amount of time and then so many restrictions and limitations upon what we could do as a brewer and as a tap room,” Arcara says.

And now Monmouth County officials have announced the Brewed & Distilled in Monmouth County program, with the goal of promoting Monmouth County wineries, distilleries, and breweries. They say the hope is that businesses can recuperate some of the pandemic losses.

“We want to bring that tourism up and use this initiative to bring people back into the tap rooms - back into the distilleries - because we're all suffering the same way and feeling the same thing,” Arcara says.

Phase 1 of this initiative includes a website launch with a one-stop-shop approach featuring the businesses. With many small businesses still bouncing back post-COVID-19 restrictions, business owners are hopeful this will kick up business.

“Any initiative from the government on any level is fabulous. I particularly applaud something that is locally driven,” says Adam Rechnitz, of Triumph Brewing Company.

Monmouth County received two grants through the New Jersey Department of Travel & Tourism, totaling just over $550,000. The county says they plan to use that money to help local businesses and the county's tourism partners

The county also announced that they're still offering small business grants for up to $20,000 on eligible COVID-19 pandemic expenses like rent and payroll. That money is available until Aug. 31, 2023.