Georgia lawmakers consider loosening rules for craft breweries

Georgia breweries are looking to lawmakers to loosen restrictions on selling beer to retailers and individual customers.

Georgia beer manufacturing operates on a three-tier system, meaning beer is made by a brewery and sold to a wholesaler, who then sells it to a retailer. 

State Sen. Timothy Bearden, R-Carrollton, said in a hearing Feb. 10 that for a restaurant in his town to get a keg from a local brewery, they have to buy it from a wholesaler instead of walking down the street.

Senate Bill 456 would allow breweries to sell up to 1,000 barrels of beer annually to retailers located within the same county.

“At the end of the day, we’re not trying to recreate the wheel or do something that hasn’t already been done in the vast majority of states across this nation. What we are trying to do is simply help the small business in our state, a business that has truly helped this state by taking a chance and going into areas, a lot of rural areas, that has helped revitalize many of our local squares and downtowns across this state,” he said.

Georgia law currently limits to-go order to 24 cans, or 288 ounces, of beer per day from a brewery. Senate Bill 456 would get rid of the limit, similar to states like Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee.

“Even Alabama allows 864 ounces per day, which is three cases of beer,” he said. “If this bill happens to pass, the sun will rise. There will still be beer, wine and liquor still distributed across this state.”

The Regulated Industries and Utilities committee did not vote on the bill Feb. 10, and it has not been placed on the agenda.

Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas, sponsored Senate Bill 86, which would let retailers offer discounts on alcoholic beverages with some stipulations.

“For too long, the distributors have had innovation on lockdown,” Anavitarte told The Capitol Beat. “It’s big business not really wanting to see some of this growth. That’s why you’re seeing so many craft breweries struggling or closing or consolidating.”