Omnivore - Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association takes Governor Deal to breakfast, tweets about it

When you look at the tweet above, do you see...

...10 breakfast buddies out having breakfast like buddies do?
...a refreshingly candid glimpse of what it’s like to wine and dine politicians?
...the oldest, most caucasian meal ever photographed?
...a lobbyist group earnestly thanking its state leader for his service?
...brazen, next-level trolling aimed at the countless Georgia small businesses — including breweries and brewpubs — who can’t afford a seat at that table?

Regardless of your interpretation or the Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association’s intent, it’s a pretty interesting tweet. Especially considering that the GBWA has given more than half a million dollars to politicians in the past decade, and is one of Deal’s biggest contributors.

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“I hope that the voters and citizens of Georgia get a seat at that table,” 5 Seasons Westside/Slice & Pint owner/brewmaster Crawford Moran says. “The citizens and voters overwhelmingly support being able to buy direct from the local breweries. I know Governor Deal believes in small businesses, Georgia businesses, free markets, job creation, personal liberty, and economic development. So I would assume he would support the common sense goals of the Brewers Guild. He would have to if he believes in those things.”

Buying beer directly from breweries is currently illegal in Georgia. As Wyatt Williams observed this spring while visiting six Peach State breweries in four days for Creative Loafing:

“You must know that you can’t just walk into a brewery in Georgia at any given time and pay for your pint like any old pub. Owing to a bizarrely specific set of regulations set by the Georgia Department of Revenue, attending a brewery tour in Georgia is like performing a complicated mating ritual specific only to the indigenous beer drinkers and brewers of our region. Most importantly, the brewery is not actually allowed to sell beer. It can (and does) sell soap made from beer, dog treats made from beer, beer branded cozies, specially shaped bottle openers, T-shirts with Grateful Dead references, Frisbees with foil-stamped beer logos, and commemorative pint glasses into which a brewer may pour many free samples of beer. Remember, the beer is the part they’re not allowed to sell, so you can ask for a free plastic cup into which your free sample of beer will be poured. You may bear in mind that the regulations do not prevent anyone from being called an asshole.

The rules don’t end there. The brewery may not give away free beer for a period of longer than two hours in a single day. During those two hours, the total amount of free beer poured into a commemorative pint glass may not exceed 32 ounces, though the brewery may subdivide that total into however many samples they like. All of this must happen under the contrived pretext of a free brewery tour, despite the fact that the people attending don’t seem to really do much actual touring of the brewery. It is simply the rule: no free tour, no free beer. Look up Chapter 560-2-7-.01 if you want the full accounting.”

In fact, Georgia is one of only eight states in the country that allows no on-premise sales. It’s also worth noting that every state that borders Georgia allows some form of on-premise sales. House Bill 314 (and its sister bill in the Senate, SB 174) would’ve allowed Peach State breweries and brewpubs to sell a limited amount of their own beer (288 ounces, or one case, per person, per day) on-premise for off-premise consumption. (The bill was ultimately squashed earlier this year amidst disagreement over the Georgia Senate Study Committee’s proposed recommendation.)

The GBWA has spent the last two years campaigning against the bill. Martin Smith, a lobbyist for the wholesalers, told CL in December that HB 314 poses a “potential risk” to the three-tier system’s integrity. That, if passed, the bill would initiate a slippery slope that could lead to the dismantling of the system entirely. “Once you allow producers these privileges, you have the potential of someone challenging the system,” he said. “‘I want to have on-premise sales for off-premise consumption, and off-premise retail as well.’”

At least according to their responses on Twitter, Georgia beer lovers, breweries, and retailers disagree:

.@GABeerWholesale You should use some of your influence to pass legislation that will allow consumers to purchase directly from a brewery.
— Russell Sauvé (@RussellSauve) August 20, 2014

@GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal Looking forward 2 the day when @GaBrewersGuild is invited @BeerWildHeaven @sweetwaterbrew @orpheusbrewing,etc
— chris_rank (@chris_rank) August 20, 2014

If @GABeerWholesale were actually interested in GA business community they would not fight breweries being able to sell beer @GovernorDeal
— Orpheus Brewing (@orpheusbrewing) August 20, 2014

@GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal Yeah...How about letting CONSUMERS buy from the brewery?
— scott lathrop (@Planet_Scott) August 22, 2014

@GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal How about supporting local business by allowing breweries to sell to consumers directly?
— Tyler Cates (@Tyler_Cates) August 22, 2014

@GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal As a retailer we side w/ the majority: self distribution, even @ the smallest level, creates growth/jobs.
— Ale Yeah! Decatur (@AleYeahBeer) August 22, 2014

@GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal NO GA brewery would say their distributor isn’t wanted/needed. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.
— Ale Yeah! Decatur (@AleYeahBeer) August 22, 2014

.@GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal #WeKnowNathan loves small biz, except when he doesn’t. 3 tiers 4eva (as long as donors keep paying to play)
— Eric Teusink (@EricTeusink) August 22, 2014

THIS RIGHT HERE = why GA continues to lose craft beer business to neighboring states @GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal https://t.co/AnFaML4NYC
— 1 Beer 1 Song (@1Beer1Song) August 22, 2014

@RedBrickBrewing @GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal which creates more sales for distributors. more sales=more jobs=more revenue for everyone2/2
— Cherry Street Brewin (@brewingcoop) August 23, 2014

@brewingcoop @RedBrickBrewing @GABeerWholesale @GovernorDeal - Plus it creates jobs and more competition. We love to try new places
— J. (@PerpetualNYer) August 23, 2014

While the GBWA hasn’t responded to any of the tweets, one of them in particular sounds like an olive branch of sorts, a hand extended across the aisle suggesting compromise. It comes from newly elected Georgia Craft Brewers Guild president and co-founder/president of Terrapin Beer Company, John Cochran:

Great that @GovernorDeal supports GA beer. We hope to work WITH @GABeerWholesale to allow GA craft beer to compete with other states.
— JCochran (@johnatterrapin) August 23, 2014

CL asked the the GCBG for a proper response to the GBWA tweet, and Executive Director Nancy Palmer responded via email with the following:

“It is extremely encouraging to see Governor Deal showing interest in the Georgia beer industry. The Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association and its member distributors are our business partners, and it is through working together that we are able to grow Georgia’s burgeoning craft beer industry. Currently Georgia has 35 operating breweries, with several more in the planning stage that are represented by the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild.

Despite some success to date, we know the Georgia craft beer industry has a long way to go to be competitive nationwide. For example, Georgia ranks 47th in craft breweries per capita. This is due in part to laws that are much more restrictive than are found in other states. The GCBG is committed to working with the GBWA to find ways to make reasonable changes to Georgia’s beer laws while protecting the integrity and the original intent of the 3-tier system.”

(GBWA lobbyist Smith told Creative Loafing last week that he didn’t have time for a phone interview, but would answer questions via email. Those questions were sent on Friday, Aug. 22. We’ll update this story when he responds.)

Update: At some point within 24 hours of this story publishing, the GBWA deleted the tweet. We’re still waiting for a response to our questions.