(Legendary Fox Theater in Atlanta, GA)

The beer biz never sleeps at American Craft Beer. And here’s just some of what’s been happening in the beer world while you were enjoying the weekend.

Important New Beer Bill in Georgia

While it hasn’t crossed the finish line yet, Georgia Senate Bill 456 is already generating plenty of conversation in taprooms across Georgia. And if it does pass, many independent brewers believe it could provide a timely boost to the state’s craft beer industry.

Georgia’s beer laws, like those in many states, were built around a traditional three-tier system designed decades ago. Senate Bill 456 aims to modernize parts of that framework, giving smaller producers more flexibility without dismantling the overall structure.

One of the biggest potential benefits lies in expanded direct-to-consumer opportunities. For craft breweries, selling beer directly through their taprooms or limited self-distribution channels typically means stronger margins compared to wholesale distribution.

So what does SB 456 actually do?

Two things according to a Reddit post by Thomas Monti, co-owner of Schoolhouse Brewing in Marietta, GA.

1. Removes the 288-oz daily taproom sales cap. Right now, you can walk into any Publix or package store and buy unlimited beer. But if you go to the actual brewery where it’s made — the one place where the brewer can look you in the eye — you’re capped at one case per day. North Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida have no cap. Alabama allows three cases. Georgia is stuck.
2. Allows small breweries to self-distribute up to 1,000 barrels per year within the county where they operate. That’s it. One county. Capped volume. 38 states and D.C. already allow this in some form. Every single one still has a functioning three-tier system.

Again, the bill’s passage doesn’t upend the three-tier system entirely. Instead, it proposes targeted adjustments meant to reflect how the craft segment actually operates in 2026.

Word to Drink By

“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” — Arthur C. Clarke, British science fiction writer, futurist, and inventor

(Courtesy Pabst Blue Ribbon / DSM Arcade)

New Pabst Blue Ribbon Arcade Game

On February 18, Pabst Blue Ribbon announced a new barroom essential, Perfect Pour: Pabst Blue Ribbon Edition an arcade-style bartender game that lets anyone step behind the bar and see if they’ve got what it takes to keep up with a busy evening behind the bar

In Perfect Pour, players grab the joystick — designed to feel like a real tap handle — and start slinging beers with speed and precision. As customers crowd in, things get predictably hectic, and players get to test if they’ve bartending skills to compete.

The idea came to life when DSM Arcade Designer and founder Dan Fessler was watching a bartender power through a packed shift at a neighborhood spot in Des Moines.

“Great bartenders make it look effortless, even when it’s total chaos,” Fessler said. “We wanted to capture that pressure — and that fun — so players could experience what it’s really like behind the bar.”

Perfect Pour: PBR Edition featuring classic Pabst branding is encased in a  vintage-style cabinet that deli Kat Mata, Director of Culture Marketing, sees it as a tribute to the people who make bars tick. “Bartenders are the real heroes of the industry,” she said. “Perfect Pour gives people a fun glimpse at just how demanding the job can be. The fact that it came from an indie developer and was dreamed up in a bar makes it feel authentic — and we’re proud to put the Blue Ribbon on it.”

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