Georgia Alcoholic Beverage Market: Regulations, Statistics, Trends, and Wholesalers

The state of Georgia is famously home to beverage giant Coca-Cola but presents a unique and complex landscape for beverage alcohol brands looking to enter the market. Georgia’s strong consumer demand is driven in part by the bustling city of Atlanta, but the state features a diverse geography and culture which add another layer of intricacy to navigating its alcohol market.

By understanding the makeup and characteristics of this market, as well as the key requirements for product registration and distribution, brands will be equipped with the knowledge needed to successfully launch and grow their beverage alcohol offerings in the state of Georgia.

We’ve prepared a guide to the Georgia market which covers the following topics:

• Consumption trends
• The most popular alcohol categories
• Local guidelines

As of 2023, Georgia has an approximate population of 10.9 million people with 7.9 million of them within the legal drinking age bracket.

If you need help establishing your presence in the Peach State, provide your information below, and we’ll contact you to share more on how we can help.

At Park Street, we can help anyone looking to enter the market or expand their services in Georgia.

Consumption Trends In Georgia

Georgia is one of the largest beverage alcohol markets in the southern United States. In 2023, there were 8.2 million 9L cases of spirits sold, along with 7.3 million cases of wine. The latest number for beer are from 2022 and show nearly 79 million cases sold. Below you will find some charts displaying the volume growth for beer, wine, and spirits over a five-year period.

Georgia Spirits Consumption from 2019-2023 by 9-Liter Cases

Georgia Wine Consumption from 2019-2023 by 9-Liter Cases

Georgia Beer Consumption from 2018-2022 by 9-Liter Cases

Georgia State Alcohol Licensing

All U.S. states are regulated at a federal level according to the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. At a state level,  Georgia is overseen by The Alcohol & Tobacco Division of the Georgia Department of Revenue. The agency is responsible for licensing, tax collection and auditing, fee collection, and enforcing the state’s laws and regulations. The Department of Revenue oversees all tiers including:

• Manufacturers (breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, and rectifiers)
• Wholesalers, also known as distributors
• Retailers (on-premise and off-premise)

In the simplest terms, manufacturers, sometimes referred to as producers, make the alcohol products. Wholesalers sell the alcohol to the retailers. Retailers sell the alcohol to consumers. While there are some exceptions to this flow of goods, this is the federally regulated route to market.

All businesses that deal with manufacturing, distributing, selling, or importing alcohol in Georgia must be licensed.

As of 2023,  there were over 120 licensed distillers and bottlers, about 170 breweries with active licenses, and over 50 wineries in Georgia.

Required Procedures for Alcohol Suppliers Selling in Georgia

Label Registration – All alcohol products sold in Georgia must have a label registration approved by The Alcohol & Tobacco Division of the Georgia Department of Revenue in order to be compliant with federal and state label regulations. Suppliers may register for a fee of $10.00 for each new brand or type filed.

Common Requirements for Manufacturers in Georgia

Local Alcohol License—  This license is required in addition to the state-issued licenses, allowing the distillery to operate within a specific city or county in Georgia. It is Issued by the local city or county government.

Distilled Spirits Manufacturer’s License— Issued by the Georgia Department of Revenue, this license allows the production, storage, and wholesale distribution of spirits within the state.

Distillery Retail License— Allows the distillery to sell bottled spirits directly to consumers from the distillery premises, subject to certain limitations.

Tourist Bottle Sales Permit— This permit enables the distillery to sell a limited quantity of spirits directly to visitors as part of a tour.

Brewery License – In-state beer producers typically need to obtain a Brewery License from the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Winery License – In-state wine producers need to obtain a Winery License from the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Farm Winery License – For wineries using at least 40% local produce in their annual production, a Farm Winery License is available.

Common Requirements for Out-of-State Brands in Georgia

Distilled Spirits Brand Registration—Any brand of distilled spirits not produced in Georgia must be registered with the Georgia Department of Revenue’s Alcohol & Tobacco Division. This includes providing information about the brand owner, supplier, and product details.

Distilled Spirits Supplier Registration— The out-of-state supplier of the distilled spirits brand must also register with the Georgia Department of Revenue’s Alcohol & Tobacco Division. This involves submitting information about the supplier’s business and obtaining approval to sell in the state.

Distilled Spirits Wholesale License— In addition to the brand and supplier registrations, an out-of-state distilled spirits supplier must obtain a Distilled Spirits Wholesale License from the Georgia Department of Revenue’s Alcohol & Tobacco Division. This license allows the supplier to sell to licensed retailers in the state.

Georgia State License – Out-of-state wine producers must obtain a state license from the Georgia Department of Revenue under the Manufacturer/Broker category.

Georgia State Alcohol Regulations

Georgia is an open state, meaning the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages are handled by private entities but still regulated by state legislators.

Franchise State

Georgia is a Franchise State, which means that certain laws protect alcohol beverage distributors and prevent their suppliers from terminating distribution contracts unless good cause is shown, among other requirements.

Shipping and Selling to Consumers

In Georgia, alcohol may be sold or shipped directly to consumers if certain conditions are met. Below is a breakdown of these specific distribution and sales regulations:

Wine:

Wineries inside or outside of Georgia may apply for a Wine Special Order Shipping License to ship up to 12 cases of table and dessert wines directly to one consumer or address in Georgia annually.

Licensed Georgia Farm Wineries (at least 40% of annual production from agricultural produce grown in the state where the winery is located, among other requirements) may make retail sales of their wine and wine of any other Georgia farm winery in tasting rooms at the winery and up to five additional locations in the state.

Spirits:

Distilled Spirits Manufacturer’s License holders are permitted to sell up to 750 barrels (53 gallons each) of distilled spirits per year produced at the distiller’s licensed premises for consumption on the premises, and off the premises provided that the sales do not exceed 4,500 mL of distilled spirits per consumer per day.

Malt Beverages:

The holder of a Malt Beverage Manufacturer’s License may sell up 6,000 barrels of malt beverages per year produced at the brewer’s licensed premises for consumption on the premises, and consumption off the premises provided that the sales do not exceed 288 ounces of malt beverages per consumer per day.

Retailers:

Off-Premise – Except where prohibited by local ordinance or resolution, a packaged goods retailer may deliver malt beverages, wine, and distilled spirits lawfully to an address designated by the purchaser.

On-Premise – Delivery of alcoholic beverages by on-premises retailers is prohibited, and on-premise retailers may not use delivery services or third-party agents to make deliveries. However, food service establishments that are licensed to sell distilled spirits for consumption on the premises may sell mixed drinks accompanied by food for off-premises consumption in approved containers for takeout and curbside delivery.

Georgia Spirits Volume Sales By Category – 2023 Data

Spirit trends in Georgia by volume and dollar sales in 2023.

Source: Beverage Information Group

Georgia Wine Volume Sales By Category – 2023 Data

Wine trends in Georgia by volume sales in 2022

Source: Beverage Information Group

Georgia Beer Volume Sales By Category – 2022 Data

Beer trends in Georgia by volume and dollar sales in 2022.

Source: Beverage Information Group

Beer Distributors

Coming Soon

FAQs on Georgia Beer, Wine & Spirits Sales

FAQs on Buying Beer, Wine & Liquor in Georgia

(Data Sources – dor.georgia.gov, legis.ga.gov, hallcounty.org)

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