Updated Georgia brewery tour regulations to be in effect by May 26th

The long-awaited update to the Georgia brewery tour rules / regulations will go into effect by May 26th. After being submitted the regulations had to go through a 30 day comment period and public hearing, then a 20 day waiting period. They have been sent to the Secretary of State and will go into effect as soon as they are published, which should be no later than May 26th.

Most of what the updated regulations implement are things Georgia’s brewers had already won with the passage of SB63 last year, with a few small additions. These “new” regulations are good for brewers, but definitely not a final solution. Here are the main things Georgia breweries will be able to do:

Sell tours at variable prices. Prices could vary depending on the “amount and quality of alcohol included in the free tastings and souvenir” subject to limitations prescribed in existing alcohol code. All tours must be paid for in advance.

Use social media to alert the public where their products are available.

Allow third-party ticket sales.

Sell food. Regulations will address exactly how this can be implemented.

Allow third-party food sales.

When SB63 went into effect many breweries saw increased revenue in tasting rooms. However, a policy bulletin update from the Department of Revenue stopped variable pricing, forcing breweries to enact a “one-size-fits-all” format that definitely didn’t fit all. Some chose to stop to-go offerings and offer a tour and tasting only at $10-$12, others priced slightly higher and included some to-go souvenirs for everyone. This change meant a huge drop in revenue for some, one brewer told me his tasting room sales dropped by 50% after the policy bulletin was issued.

Georgia still has plenty of fighting to do to get our laws where they need to be, but this will loosen the reins a bit. Our neighbors in Alabama have seen a lot of positive change over the last few years. They won the right to serve beer for on-site consumption in 2011 and this year won the right to sell up to 288 oz. of beer to-go, which goes into effect June 1st. Not only has this encouraged more breweries to open but it’s also fostered growth (and jobs) for existing breweries. As we mentioned in our Huntsville Road Trip Report, Straight to Ale is opening a second facility that will increase their production by 300% and double their workforce.

I’m sure we’ll get our laws in line one day, we’ve only been at this a short 20 or so years. By 2050 I’m confident you’ll be able to buy a pint at a brewery, but not two pints, that’s crazy talk.