GA Assembly 2013 for Brewers

I was searching for threads and I didnt see anything in an non-exhaustive search so I want to put this up for Georgia brewers. Please make corrections, additions, replacements, or updates as neccesary.

I am working out an updated letter to my representatives in regards to this years (2013) General Assembly. If anyone needs a map or the contact information for their representative I can email that out. aslo, the House has voted on some of these, if you want to find out who voted for what I can direct you to that website or go to http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/default.aspx I will try to generalize the bills as to keep this short.

If you havent already watched the 2009 Beer Wars Documentary I highly suggest it. If you do not have the time to write out a letter I can provide you with some text, however, I encourage individual letters that are authentic to prove that constituents care.

Snapshot of the alcohol-related bills under consideration from the AJC

HB 314: Introduced by Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Dunwoody, the bill would allow brewpubs to sell their beer - up to one case per person per day - for off-site consumption. example- I can fill a growler at the local gas station but I cannot fill one at the local brewery, if a brewpup wants to have their beer on tap at the restaurant next door they must have a distributer pick it up and deliver it to them.

HB 137: Backed by Rep. Wendell Willard, R-Sandy Springs, it would allow Georgians to include and ship wine in retail gift baskets.

SB 174: Sponsored by State Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, the bill is companion to HB 314 and would allow brewpubs to sell beer for off-site consumption.

HB 99: Introduced by Rep. Jason Spencer, R-Woodbine, the bill stipulates the quantity of beer one is allowed to produce at home and would allow homebrewers to transport their beer to special events under specific conditions. strike out 50 gallons and insert 100 per adult up to 2 adults per household for a maximum of 200 gallons a year, and actually be allowed to take your beer to gatherings or local competitions


HB 185: Led by Rep. Rusty Kidd, R-Milledgeville, distillers would be allowed to directly sell two liters of distilled spirits to one customer per day.

- See more at: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crop-o...ducers-against-th/nWfqK/#sthash.SMpXdi8T.dpuf

Lets get on the right side of this and provide a future for independant, craft, home, entreprenuerial, brewers, winemakers, and distillers. Lets get the Barleyroots movement going!

Apathy is the death of democracy

HB 314 and it's companion are definitely long overdue. I guess HB 137 is different than what we already have. I know we can ship wine into GA from wineries or online wine sellers outside GA.

The one we also really need is the bill that allows small breweries (not just brew pubs) to sell on premises via tasting rooms and to self distribute up to a certain limit.

The thing that I find interesting...especially in GA is all these bills are sponsored by Rebublicans. In GA they have normally been aligned much more to the right. I guess the new breed is really more pro small business.

Thanks for posting.

My civic and brewing duty limulus. I should be updating this as it moves through the Assembly. I'm pulling vote lists today. You're absolutely correct on the term "brew pubs" or AKA the 50% food rule.

I'm not sure where the GA Brewers Guild is on this but I think a new brewery here in SAV "Southbound Brewing Company" plans on doing tastings. I forgot to highlight HB 185 in blue like the rest. Point being, if a brew pub can sell on site for off site consumption and a distiller can sell two liters, how does one enforce craft breweries? IDK, thinking outloud here.

HB 185 (Section 1)

27 (c) Retail sales made pursuant to this Code section shall be conducted in a designated retail
28 sales area on the licensed premises that may be the same area as the designated tasting area
29 for free tastings conducted pursuant to Code Section 3-4-180.

HB 99 is being read now in the senate.

Passed 46 to 2. Goes to the Gov now.

We're getting there little by little. I thought the original brewpub rules here were so ridiculous. Now they are allowed 10,000 bbl and they can sell 5000 off site through a distributor. I doubt all brewpubs will be able to afford a bottling or caning machine but progress is progress.

Now bring on some reform for regular non-brewpub brewers!

He'll yea. Thanks Byounger for the update! I think they'll all pass but you just never know in these parts.

At least Gov Deal will sign it. I don't think we would have a prayer if Purdue were still Governor. He was a teetotaler and governed that way.

How many of us have broken the 50 gal law?

limulus said:

At least Gov Deal will sign it. I don't think we would have a prayer if Purdue were still Governor. He was a teetotaler and governed that way.

How many of us have broken the 50 gal law?

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Hmmmm. 5 gallons. 12 months. I never was good at math.

Thank you for this thread. We will have to do it again next year.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think any of the other bills crossed over... If not they can't be voted on for this year but are good for the next session. If they don't crossover then they will die and have to be resubmitted for a new bill number. Or maybe they were amended to another bill in this session and I just don't know it.

The really good news is only a veto from Deal can stop HB 99 (He doesn't have to sign it if he fears repercussions).

Such I fine line between Alabama and us.

i know right. Unfortunately this is exactly what happened last year. Well, not exactly b/c something happened but last year similiar bills went through but were ignored. I just don't get politics in Georgia, if we ignore it, it will go away. Well at least you two posted something. I saw alot of reads but no comments. Sounds like our problem.

BTW, how did you catch the vote, do y'all get that locally on TV up there?

My employer has a lobbyist on the floor during session so I asked him to keep an eye on it for us

There is also a petition you can sign:
http://www.5seasonsbrewing.com/5/

limulus said:

There is also a petition you can sign:
http://www.5seasonsbrewing.com/5/

Click to expand...

Good deal, I'll get to it when I have the computer in front of me. Thanks for the link. Who knows what auto correct might do. To be honest though after 15 years here were having serious conversations about moving to Washington State.

All GA citizens and lawmakers, please watch this short 1:25 video. Pay close attention at :50 and beyond.

Great link, it really is that simple. I was just reading an article in Beeradvocate on this same issue (Issue #75 Page 53 "Craft Beer in the Bible Belt; How Southern beer laws are stymying the industry"

After watching beer wars I look at the beer display in a whole new way.

Ya know, some of the laws here in GA are fairly liberal. For example, I can walk into a BP station and buy a sixer of Sierra Nevada Pale, a bottle of wine or God help us a 40 I can now go into that same gas station on Sunday...at least in Metro Atlanta and buy it. My local Kroger and Publix have excellent beer aisles. There are a lot of states that only allow sales in a liquor store. **There is a reason we can go to Kroger or CVS or BP and buy a six pack...it's because they buy it from a distributor.

The biggest annoyance here in GA, the 9th most populous state in the union regarding beer is the 3-tier system: We MUST protect the sanctity of the 3-tier system! It's so obvious that as a long as distributors and the "Big 3" get the sale, you can buy it almost anywhere. I recently read another article about Coors and their new "craft brew" division and how well it is doing (I need to find that article). I think the master plan for the large brewers is to grow these "craft brew" divisions with multiple brands so they can take up all the shelf space.

We didn't have it so bad here after all. There still 2 states that don't even allow sampling. OK is about to change that:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.a..._as_sampling_bill/20130421_39_D1_CUTLIN543337

limulus said:

How many of us have broken the 50 gal law?

Click to expand...

Admit to breaking a law? I thought that's what Facebook was for!

I hate to do this but I'm reminiscing a bit and this thread was in the back of my head today. I really hope GA gets this figured out. I miss Savannah but damn, Washington is much more active in politics and about what they what or sometimes more importantly what they don't want. Sorry for the zombie thread but c'mon GA wake up, its 2014

Y'all need to keep on these legislators. Support your brewers start a 2014 2015 2016 thread

liquiditynerd said:

I hate to do this but I'm reminiscing a bit and this thread was in the back of my head today. I really hope GA gets this figured out. I miss Savannah but damn, Washington is much more active in politics and about what they what or sometimes more importantly what they don't want. Sorry for the zombie thread but c'mon GA wake up, its 2014

Y'all need to keep on these legislators. Support your brewers start a 2014 2015 2016 thread

Click to expand...

As you know this is the "Deep South". We do things much slower down here
Heck, we just got beer sales on Sundays in some parts of this State.