The Beer Jobs Bill has been introduced into the senate with 18 co-sponsors. Please support this bill so breweries can sell beer to the public and make sure your legislators know what you want!
I just read the full bill, here's what I get are the major points, feel free to chime in if this needs corrections or additions.
LAYMAN'S OVERVIEW OF THE GA BEER JOBS BILL - SB63
Replaces the word "beer" with "malt beverages" throughout the bill
BREWPUBS
Reiterates that brewpubs are limited to 10,000 barrels/year total production
Allows brewpubs 5,000 barrels/year that can be sold to a distributor OR to the public for off-premise consumption
Sets a limit for brewpub sales for off-premise consumption to 144 oz per individual per day
Notes that brewpubs may not sell any beverages for off-premise consumption that they did not brew
Reiterates that brewpubs must have 50% of their sales from prepared meals or food but adds that this calculation will NOT include any malt beverages sold to distributors or to the public for off-premise consumption
Removes the verbiage prohibiting brewpubs from giving free samples
BREWERIES
Allows a limited exception to the three-tier system for breweries to operate a tasting room
Defines a tasting room as an area "used by a brewer for promoting malt beverages manufactured by such brewer through the offering of samples and selling such malt beverages for consumption on the premises or for consumption off the premises, or both."
States that a tasting room must be located on the same premises as the brewer or on a property contiguous to the brewer
States that the tasting room must be operated by the brewer or an affiliate of the brewer
Sets the limit of malt beverages sold for consumption on-premise to 72 oz per person per day
Sets the limit of malt beverages sold for consumption off-premise to 144 oz per person per day
Does NOT allow a brewer to sell to a retailer directly for the purpose of resale
Stipulates that malt beverages sold at tasting rooms shall be sold at prices approximating retail for an identical beer sold in the same area
States that brewers shall be allowed to conduct educational and promotional tours
LIST OF SPONSORS
Hunter Hill (Lead Sponsor)
Steve Gooch (Committee Member)
John Albers
Charlie Bethel
Frank Ginn(Vice-Chairman of Committee)
Jesse Stone
Burt Jones
Judson Hill
Tommie Williams
Elena Parent
Michael Williams
PK Martin
Brandon Beach (Committee Member)
Vincent Fort
Ellis Black
Chuck Hufstetler
Ben Watson
Ed Harbison
