---
title: HB 1466. Alcoholic beverages; satellite tasting rooms operated by brewers; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1466
cite_as: HB 1466, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1466
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1466.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1466/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73701
date: 2026-03-03
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1466.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1466
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-25
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Jason Ridley
- Tyler Smith
- Kasey Carpenter
- Demetrius Douglas
- Jaclyn Ford
- Lauren McDonald
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1466/2025
upstream_id: 2124824
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- alcoholic beverages
- craft brewing
- liquor licensing
- business regulation
---
# HB 1466. Alcoholic beverages; satellite tasting rooms operated by brewers; provide
## Text
House Bill 1466
By: Representatives Ridley of the 6th, Smith of the 18th, Carpenter of the 4th, Douglas of the
78th, Ford of the 170th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 3-5-24.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
exception to three-tier system, transfer of liquids, sales at brewer's licensed premises, taxing,
regulatory authority, and conditions or limitations, so as to provide for satellite tasting rooms
operated by brewers; to provide for limitations; to provide for an exception to a transfer
limitation; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for definitions; to provide for
related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 3-5-24.1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to exception to
three-tier system, transfer of liquids, sales at brewer's licensed premises, taxing, regulatory
authority, and conditions or limitations, is amended as follows:
"3-5-24.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Common ownership' means the same 100 percent common ownership interest
including, but not limited to, ownership of the stock, limited liability company
membership interest, limited liability partnership interest, other entity interest, or
partnership interest, in whatever form such ownership interest may exist.
(2) 'Licensed premises' means the physical premises where brewer is licensed by the
state as a manufacturer of malt beverages as well as any satellite tasting rooms.
(3) 'Produces' means engaging in the material and essential aspects of the brewing
process to manufacture malt beverage for human consumption; provided, however, when
a brewer engages in the brewing process at multiple licensed premises, the malt beverage
will be deemed to have been produced only at the licensed premises where such malt
beverage first began fermentation through the chemical conversion of fermentable sugars
into alcohol.
(4) 'Satellite tasting room' means a separate physical location designated by a brewer,
under common ownership with the brewer, at which the brewer is authorized under
subsection (h) of this Code section to make retail sales of malt beverages to individuals
pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section.
(b) A limited exception to the provisions of this title providing a three-tier system for the
distribution and sale of malt beverages shall exist to the extent that the license to
manufacture malt beverages in this state shall include the right to sell malt beverages to
individuals on the brewer's licensed premises for personal use and not for resale, subject
to the following terms and conditions:
(1) The brewer may only make sales of malt beverages to an individual while the
individual is physically on the brewer's licensed premises where the brewer produces malt
beverages;
(2) The brewer may make sales of malt beverages the brewer produces at the brewer's
licensed premises where the individual is purchasing the malt beverages;
(3) As long as the brewer and all of the brewer's licensed premises are under common
ownership, the brewer may make sales of malt beverages the brewer produces at any
licensed premises of the brewer and subsequently transfers in compliance with the
limitations and reporting obligations of subsection (c) of this Code section to the brewer's
licensed premises for sale where the individual is purchasing the malt beverages;
(4) The brewer may only make sales of malt beverages for which the brewer is the sole
owner of the brand and brand label;
(5) Sales for consumption on the premises are not subject to a daily maximum amount;
(6) Sales for consumption off the premises shall not exceed a maximum of 288 ounces
of malt beverages per individual per day; and
(7) The maximum amount of malt beverages the brewer may sell pursuant to subsection
(b) of this Code section this subsection in each calendar year shall be 6,000 barrels in the
aggregate among all brewer's licensed premises making such sales.
(c)(1) Nothing in this Code section shall be interpreted to prohibit a brewer from
transferring any liquid, regardless of whether such liquid would be deemed to be malt
beverages or not, to or from any of the brewer's licensed premises; provided, however,
with respect to any malt beverages a brewer produces at one of the brewer's licensed
premises and transfers to be sold to individuals pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code
section at another of the brewer's licensed premises, the maximum number of barrels of
malt beverages permitted to be transferred from one licensed premises of the brewer to
another licensed premises of the brewer shall not exceed the number of barrels of malt
beverages the brewer produces under brands and brand labels for which the brewer is the
sole owner at the licensed premises receiving the transferred malt beverages and the
brewer shall file a report with the department every calendar quarter documenting all
such transfers in such form as the department shall require.
(2) The transfer limitation on malt beverages provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection
shall not apply to malt beverages transferred by a brewer from any of the brewer's
licensed premises to a satellite tasting room for sale to individuals pursuant to
subsection (b) of this Code section; provided, however, that all such transfers shall be
included in the quarterly report required by this subsection.
(d) A brewer may sell malt beverages pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section on
all days and at all times that sales of malt beverages by retailers are lawful within the
county or municipality in which the licensed premises of the brewer is located, including,
but not limited to, Sundays.
(e) Any brewer engaging in sales of malt beverages pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code
section shall remit all state and local sales, use, and excise taxes to the proper tax collecting
authority.
(f) The commissioner shall promulgate and enforce such rules and regulations as he or she
may deem reasonable and necessary to effectuate the provisions of this Code section.
(g) Upon a violation by a brewer of any provision of this Code section or this title or any
rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, the commissioner shall have the power to place
conditions or limitations on such brewer's license and to modify or amend such conditions
or limitations.
(h) A brewer may operate up to two satellite tasting rooms, which shall be licensed in such
manner and subject to such reasonable registration, reporting, and inspection requirements
as the commissioner may prescribe by rule and regulation. In addition to making sales of
malt beverages pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section, a satellite tasting room may
also hold a retail license for consumption on the premises as otherwise authorized by this
title and may purchase alcoholic beverages from licensed wholesalers, manufacturers, and
importers in accordance with such retail license. Nothing in this subsection shall be
construed to expand distribution privileges or authorize sales to retailers other than through
a licensed wholesaler. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to prohibit the sale
or service of other alcoholic beverages at the same location if such sale or service is
separately authorized under another provision of law and the appropriate license is held for
that location."
SECTION 2.
For purposes of proposing rules and regulations, this Act shall become effective upon its
approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval. For all other
purposes, this Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would let beer brewers open up to two satellite tasting rooms away from their main brewery, where they could sell their own beer directly to customers and even hold a full retail license.
### Plain-language summary
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. ยง 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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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.
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-25)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-03)
- Sponsors: Jason Ridley, Tyler Smith, Kasey Carpenter, Demetrius Douglas, Jaclyn Ford, Lauren McDonald
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73701
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1466.md?full=1