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The kid on this Founders Breakfast Stout label is against the rules in New Hampshire.

(Courtesy Photo)

CONCORD, NH -- Beverage laws keeping Founders Brewing Co.'s Breakfast Stout off shelves in New Hampshire won't be going anywhere soon.

On June 2, the state's Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan vetoed a measure that would have allowed some images of minors to grace alcoholic beverage labels as long as they didn't encourage young people to drink, the Associated Press reported.

Rep. Keith Murphy of Bedford, N.H., who owns Murphy's Taproom in Manchester, sponsored the bill because he wanted to be able to buy Breakfast Stout, the label for which depicts a baby eating out of a bowl of oatmeal.

Hassan said allowing the images could undermine the state's efforts to fight underage drinking, according to the AP. The state's alcohol labeling prohibits "any reference to minors, pictorial or otherwise."

"Substance misuse, including alcohol misuse, continues to be one of the major public health and safety challenges facing us as a state," Hassan said in her veto message. "Moreover, statistics suggest that New Hampshire has among the highest rates of underage drinking in the country."

New Hampshire is not the first state to fuss over Founders beer labeling. In 2012, Alabama allowed the company to sell its Dirty Bastard scotch ale and Backwoods Bastard barrel-aged scotch ale after initially objecting to the names.

Murphy called the veto an overreach and noted that neighboring states sell the beer.

"No reasonable person would believe that this label is intended to appeal to minors in any way," he said.

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission opposed Murphy's bill although the federal government already prohibits alcohol labeling or advertising that targets minors.

Garret Ellison covers business, government and environment for MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at gellison@mlive.com or follow on Twitter & Instagram