Georgia might be back to square one.

Big fan of Coast 32/50 Kolsch. In my top 5 overall, actually. Just an incredibly flavorful and refreshing beer that beats just about anything most breweries offer anywhere. Cheers!

 

This is a major setback, but gives us more reason to fight next time it comes up in the gold dome. We need a huge effort from everyone that can help. Similar to the huge fight the Floridians put up every time they are about to get screwed by new laws and they have a big boy like CCB leading the way. Yes, this time getting our bigger breweries involved (cough..SW..cough, didn't see them do anything last time). We need billboards in every brewery and brewpub with the emails, numbers, social media accounts of these politicians. This way people going on "tours" or sitting at a bar can sit there and call and email away on these politicians. If they are tipsy and technically aren't "nice, polite, or professional"--I don't care this time. Get pissed off and fight this thing tooth and nail this time!

 

What does this mean for Sweetwater's BA stout release coming up?

 

Not sure what will happen with Sweetwater's release, but I got a reply from Terrapin yesterday about their Walking Dead release scheduled for this week and they said this all caught them by surprise and they should have an alternate plan in place by today.

 

As a lover of your GA breweries (CC being my favorite, followed by Burnt Hickory, Orpheus and Terrapin), I would be a staunch supporter of each of them relocating to/opening a second location in North Carolina.

 

Respectfully, we Georgians would like to see them stay (and expand) in Georgia.

 

Can't blame you. They're doing great things down there. And it gives me a reason to make road trips to Athens/ATL every so often. Hopefully some pressure on the lobbyists/politicians will get all of this settled and breweries will finally be able to run their business their way.

 

Thanks. Considering the awesome North Carolina scene, that means a lot.

I think this change will be a protracted process that will take some years. But I do think it will happen as long the stakeholders (particularly our breweries) can stay committed and if we can expand our cause beyond beer geeks to include the general public. In it for the long haul...

 

I didn't digest that link completely, but at first glance that seem really freaking stupid.

But it's the gov't . . . a stupid and illogical law is entirely possible

 

Can we organize a protest of sorts? It seems calling into our governor is not working.

 

I for one am pissed. It's annoying, damn I hate politics.

 

See the Stars event was soo sick, can't believe this is no more! Well, see y'all in FL, NC, & SC for sick bottle releases and buying a f'n draft at a f'n brewery!

 

Must be why creature comforts sent out a bunch of draft only brewery paradiso this week to some accounts.

I've stopped trying to figure out Georgia's revenue laws.

 

It's ridiculous, I'm not even sure what to say about it anymore.

As far as breweries moving, Moon River just announced that they intend to expand but with the laws the way they are now they've decided to cross the state lines into SC. I interviewed Chris Jones who is opening Georgia Brewing Company in Valdosta next year and he said they were very tempted to cross state lines and open in Lake City, FL. They prepared two business plans based around SB63 passing and not passing, and they've just had to rework their business plan based on this policy bulletin.

The DOR has made it pretty clear they don't give a damn what the GCBG or GA brewers want. Here's the response the GCBG received when they requested a meeting with the DOR to discuss this policy bulletin.

"Thank you for contacting the Georgia Department of Revenue regarding the Policy Bulletin governing facility tours released last Friday, September 25th. I forwarded your meeting request to the appropriate persons within the Department and have been informed that a meeting will not be accommodated at this time. The Department is firm in its reading of the law as set forth in the bulletin and will not be entertaining any alternative interpretations."​

 

It is sad when Alabama laws, which really suck, are better than GA laws. Considering the population difference and having a major city like Atlanta.

 

SC laws looking good for breweries looking to move. Stupid move by GA lawmakers.

 

Cross the border boys, you ARE VERY WELCOME in SC.

 

I hate to say it, but it's looking like the only way that these laws will change is if a brewery such as SW, Terrapin or CC move their production and product out-of-state. I know this isn't likely to happen because of the hometown ties that these breweries have in GA, and I'm sure that's what the lawmakers are banking on to keep the breweries there. If they were smart (wishful thinking for a bunch of politicians) they would look at the expansion of breweries like Sierra Nevada, Stone, New Belgium, etc and see that they've been passed up most likely because of the strict laws.

 

My opinion, which isn't worth much:

1. We need to get past this "Georgia sucks" mentality. While I'm not calling out any BA's in particular, we need to disentangle our state and its awesome beer culture from its legislators and regulators. They are not the same thing.

2. We need keep our existing breweries healthy in Georgia. I'm not sure exactly what all that means, but it probably goes something like this:

a) Continue buying their beer, to the extent that you appreciate Georgia breweries and their products. Boycotts are tempting, but they primarily attack retailers--who appear to have been tentative in this whole process. They impact distributors much less so and damage the brewers in the process. Unless a boycott is carried out in totality and with a clearly communicated message, it will only do harm. Even if successful, there will be *lots* of collateral damage.

b) Continue going on tours, even if they're the tours we don't want. Tours offer opportunities to sample beers that brewers can bring to market and offer an opportunity to interact with and support our brewers. Show our brewers some love.

c) Call your legislator. Yes, there are certain legislators who have been associated with SB 63, both in support and in opposition. While you certainly can (and should) contact them, legislators are only responsive to their immediate constituents.

For me, that means my delegation from Marietta and my support for Red Hare (and maybe Burnt Hickory to a lesser extent). What's that, you say? "I don't prefer Red Hare to, say, Three Taverns or Orpheus," you say? It doesn't matter. Red Hare is my *local* brewery in my and my legislator's *local* business, and what's good for Red Hare will be good for every other brewer.

3. We need to get some outreach to the public at large. Change is only going to happen if we can expand this issue beyond the likes of BA, Reddit, and actually get out there and get some bigger support. People are already trying, so that's not an accusation. Just a reminder about what it's going to take. We have to get the average, everyday beer drinker--the "kinda sorta" craft beer drinker onboard. Again, I don't know how we're going to pull that one off.

4. Our message will need to be "pointed" and "nuanced" at the same time. I think we all have the "pointed" part down pat--direct sales by breweries. The "nuanced" part is going to be tougher--that we're not trying to get rid of or destroy distributors. They'll always have a part in the process. But it is about fairness for the brewers and moving past short-sightedness. It's also about being truly "pro-business," and this is something we really need to press as an issue publicly. If Georgia's legislators are as pro-business, pro-free market as they profess to be, it's time for them to live up to their words. We already know that many of them are not--they protect established, moneyed interests. But we need to call out hypocrisy publicly.

Probably enough rambling for the moment. @itsmetimd, I may cross-post somewhere on ATLBeer. Hope you don't mind.