Burp Fest at Georgia Craft Brewers Festival 2026

The Georgia Craft Brewers Festival is the public face of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild, a nonprofit founded in 2010 to promote, protect, and advance the interests of the state's independent breweries. When the Guild launched, it counted just fifteen member breweries -- a reflection of Georgia's historically restrictive alcohol laws, which for years made it nearly impossible for breweries to sell directly to consumers. Under the leadership of executive director Nancy Palmer, who came aboard in 2012 and assumed the full-time role in 2014, the Guild waged a multi-year legislative campaign that reshaped the state's beer landscape. The pivotal victory came in 2017 with the passage of Senate Bill 85, which finally allowed Georgia breweries to sell up to 3,000 barrels per year directly to consumers in their own taprooms. Palmer's work earned her the F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award from the Brewers Association, making her the first woman to receive the honor.

The festival itself reflects the Guild's philosophy of community and collaboration. Held at the Woodstock Arts Event Green in downtown Woodstock, northwest of Atlanta, it showcases 50 Georgia breweries pouring 150-plus beers -- all exclusively from in-state producers. The event goes beyond sampling by featuring exclusive collaboration beers brewed specifically for the festival, a Makers Market of local artisans, food vendors, live music, and guest pours of spirits and wine. VIP tickets are limited to just 100, keeping the early-entry experience genuinely exclusive.

For a state that only recently emerged from decades of regulatory constraints, the Georgia Craft Brewers Festival carries meaning beyond the beer in the glass. It is a celebration of an industry that had to organize, lobby, and fight for the right to exist in its current form. Every ticket sold supports the Guild's ongoing advocacy work, ensuring that the legal victories already won are protected and that the next generation of Georgia brewers has a clearer path to market.