HB 1466: Alcoholic beverages; satellite tasting rooms operated by brewers; provide

Under current Georgia law, brewers can sell their own malt beverages directly to customers, but generally only at the physical premises where the beer is actually brewed, with strict limits on transferring beer between licensed locations. This bill amends O.C.G.A. § 3-5-24.1 to create a new category called a 'satellite tasting room,' a separate location under the same ownership as the brewer where the brewer can sell beer to individuals. The bill allows a brewer to operate up to two satellite tasting rooms, licensed and regulated by the state's alcohol and tobacco commissioner. It exempts transfers of beer to a satellite tasting room from the usual transfer-volume limits, as long as the brewer reports all such transfers quarterly. Satellite tasting rooms can also hold a separate retail license to buy and serve other alcoholic beverages, but the bill does not let brewers sell to retailers outside the normal wholesaler system. The rulemaking parts take effect once the Governor signs it; the rest takes effect July 1, 2026.

• Creates a new legal category, 'satellite tasting room,' as a separate location where a brewer under common ownership can sell its own beer directly to individuals.
• Allows a brewer to operate up to two satellite tasting rooms, subject to registration, reporting, and inspection rules set by the commissioner.
• Exempts beer transferred to a satellite tasting room from the usual cap on how much beer can move between a brewer's licensed premises, as long as transfers are reported quarterly.
• Lets a satellite tasting room also hold a separate retail license to serve other alcoholic beverages purchased through licensed wholesalers.
• Keeps the existing statewide cap of 6,000 barrels per year that a brewer can sell directly to consumers across all its licensed premises.

Georgia beer brewers and brewery owners, especially those wanting a second retail location, the state Department of Revenue's alcohol and tobacco division which regulates and inspects these sites, and consumers who would be able to buy a brewer's beer at a new type of tasting room location.

Brewers would gain a new way to reach customers beyond their brewing facility, potentially opening tasting rooms in more convenient locations like downtown areas, while still working within the state's overall limits on direct-to-consumer beer sales and its three-tier alcohol distribution system.

• Adds a definition of 'satellite tasting room' as a separate physical location under common ownership with the brewer, authorized to make retail sales under subsection (b).
• Expands the definition of 'licensed premises' to include satellite tasting rooms, not just the original manufacturing site.
• New subsection (h) caps a brewer at two satellite tasting rooms and gives the commissioner authority to set registration, reporting, and inspection rules for them.
• New subsection (c)(2) exempts transfers of beer to a satellite tasting room from the existing barrel-for-barrel transfer limit, provided the transfers appear in the required quarterly report.
• Subsection (h) permits a satellite tasting room to hold its own retail license to serve other alcoholic beverages bought from licensed wholesalers, manufacturers, or importers.
• Clarifies the annual 6,000-barrel cap on direct consumer sales applies in the aggregate across all of a brewer's licensed premises, including satellite tasting rooms.
• Section 2 sets a two-tier effective date: rulemaking provisions take effect on the Governor's approval, while all other provisions take effect July 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-03House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-26House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-25House Hopper (House)

• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)Primary sponsor
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)
• Kasey Carpenter (R, HD-004)
• Demetrius Douglas (D, HD-078)
• Jaclyn Ford (R, HD-170)
• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)

• alcoholic beverages
• craft brewing
• liquor licensing
• business regulation