Current through 2023-2024 Legislative Session Chapter 709
Section 3-5-24.1 - Exception to three-tier system; transfer of liquids; sales at brewer's licensed premises; taxing; regulatory authority; conditions or limitations(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.(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.(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 in each calendar year shall be 6,000 barrels in the aggregate among all brewer's licensed premises making such sales.(c) 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.(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.Amended by 2021 Ga. Laws 226,§ 2, eff. 5/5/2021.Added by 2017 Ga. Laws 178,§ 8, eff. 9/1/2017.