“People would come from out of state for a tour of a New Jersey winery and they’d buy a couple of cases of wine. And then they’d say, ‘Let’s go hit the brewery,’ ” said Gene Muller, owner of the Flying Fish Brewing Company, a microbrewery in Somerdale. But they would be unable to buy more than two six-packs.

“Our consumers are really engaged with craft beer, and this allows them to buy it fresh,” he said. “They want those bragging rights, that it’s fresh from the brewery.” Mr. Muller, 56, of Haddon Township, was one of the most visible proponents of relaxing the laws, along with Mark Edelson, co-owner of the Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant chain, based in Wilmington, Del.

Brew pubs, like Iron Hill, are distinct from microbreweries in that they are restaurants that also brew beer on site. Before September, they were legally bound to sell their beer only on their own property, not at liquor stores, other bar-restaurants or off-site festivals. Now, they can do all those things. Brew-pub licensees were also allowed to open only two brew pubs within New Jersey; now they may own up to 10. And each brew pub may produce up to 10,000 barrels of beer annually, up from 3,000.

“New Jersey was the most restrictive state for us, and it still is, even after this,” said Mr. Edelson, 48, of Landenberg, Pennsylvania. Iron Hill currently operates nine brew pubs in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey (in Maple Shade). Mr. Edelson and his partners plan to open a second location in New Jersey — in Voorhees — this summer and are looking for a third location in the state.