Mississippi Brewers reach deal with Wholesalers, while Georgia brewers anticipate third year of legislative battle.

Press Release from Georgia Craft Brewers Guild:

Atlanta, Ga, September 21, 2016 – Today the Mississippi Brewers Guild announced a deal reached with the Mississippi Beer Distributors Association that will, upon passage of legislation, allow craft breweries in Mississippi to sell beer direct to the public among other concessions. Both the brewers and the wholesalers of Mississippi have shown tremendous leadership and partnership in the advancement of an industry that was in desperate need of attention.

Upon passage of this proposed legislation in Mississippi, Georgia will remain the sole state in the country where a brewery may not sell beer to the general public. As has been for decades now, the craft brewers of Georgia have one customer – their wholesaler. While consumers, economic developers, entrepreneurs, and state legislators have called for the ability to buy beer at a brewery, that privilege is reserved for the 13 businesses that wholesale Georgia craft beer.

The Georgia Craft Brewers Guild strongly supports legislation to allow Georgia’s breweries to sell beer in tasting rooms among other much needed modernizations to Georgia’s brewery laws. As always, and in the spirit of cooperation, we hope the Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association will have a change of heart and choose to support our legislative efforts this January.

Link to Jackson Free Press:

http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/weblogs/jackblog/2016/sep/20/mississippi-craft-brewers-and-mississippi-beer-dis/

For additional comment contact Nancy Palmer.