UPDATE 01/26/16: A deal has been reached in the Georgia craft beer battle, no bill will be presented in this year’s session.

A new Georgia Beer Bill, sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), will be filed soon in the state House.

2016 Georgia Beer Bill Overview

What the bill would allow brewers to do:

Offer direct sales at breweries via the operation of a tasting room as well as retail to-go sales

Operate a restaurant / sell food at tasting rooms

Operate up to five (5) additional tasting rooms in the state

Self-distribute up to 5,000 barrels per year

Provide information to consumers on where to purchase their products

Leave a distributor and sign with another, providing certain conditions are met

There are provisions in the bill for brewpubs as well, and that will be addressed in detail once the bill is filed

Sources in the industry insinuate we may also see changes to rules applying to employees of craft brewers

Once the bill is filed we will provide a breakdown of each item, we have been asked to keep that information confidential for the time being.

What you can do

Contact your legislators. You can find your legislator here. | Let them know you support this beer as it is good for small business, free enterprise, and job growth in Georgia. Mention that Georgia is one of only two states that do not allow direct brewery sales and that the current system is a detriment to the growth of small business and jobs.

Support the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild | The GCBC is at the forefront of the battle for better beer laws. The entities opposing changes to the current regulations are large organizations and several large companies with much deeper pockets than the small brewers in our state. This affords them the ability to have dedicated lobbyists to oppose legislation and be around at all times. The Guild is a small team with many of the members also working to operate their breweries full-time. GCBG’s executive director, Nancy Palmer, is the only person able to be dedicated to fighting full-time for better beer laws in our state. Donations help the Guild to continue the fight and allow them to retain lobbyists invested in the interests of Georgia’s small brewers.

Sign the petition to support better beer laws in Georgia