<P> The state laws governing alcoholic beverages in New Jersey are among the most complex in the United States, with many peculiarities not found in other states' laws . They provide for 29 distinct liquor licenses granted to manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and for the public warehousing and transport of alcoholic beverages . General authority for the statutory and regulatory control of alcoholic beverages rests with the state government, particularly the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control overseen by the state's Attorney General . </P> <P> Under home rule, New Jersey law grants individual municipalities substantial discretion in passing ordinances regulating the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages within their limits . The number of retail licenses available is determined by a municipality's population, and may be further limited by the town's governing body . As a result, the availability of alcohol and regulations governing it vary significantly from town to town . A small percentage of municipalities in the state are "dry towns" that do not allow alcoholic beverages to be sold, and do not issue retail licenses for bars or restaurants to serve alcohol to patrons . Other towns permit alcohol sales 24 hours a day . Retail licenses tend to be difficult to obtain, and when available are subject to exorbitant prices and fervent competition . </P> <P> In addition to granting local governments wide latitude over liquor sales, New Jersey law has some other unusual features . Corporations are limited to two retail distribution licenses, making it impractical for chain stores to sell alcoholic beverages; this restriction, in conjunction with municipal ordinances, severely limits supermarket and convenience store chains from selling beer as they do in many other states . State law treats drunk driving as a traffic offense rather than a crime, and permits individual municipalities to define the scope of underage drinking laws . </P> <P> New Jersey's history of taverns and alcohol production dates to its early colonial period . Colonial winemakers received recognition by the Royal Society of Arts for producing high - quality wine, and a local distillery owner was asked by George Washington for his recipe for "cyder spirits" (applejack). Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the industry developed with the influx of European immigrants, specifically Germans and Italians, who presented a sizable market for alcoholic beverages and brought with them old world winemaking, brewing, and distilling techniques . With the rise of the temperance movement culminating in Prohibition (1919--1933), New Jersey's alcohol industry suffered; many breweries, wineries, and distilleries either closed or relocated to other states . The legacy of Prohibition restricted and prevented the industry's recovery until the state legislature began loosening restrictions and repealing Prohibition - era laws starting in 1981 . New Jersey's alcohol industry is experiencing a renaissance, and recently enacted laws provide new opportunities for the state's wineries and breweries . </P>

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