Section 3-1-2. Definitions

   As used in this title, the term:

   (1) "Alcohol" means ethyl alcohol, hydrated oxide of ethyl, or spirits of wine, from whatever source or by whatever process produced.

   (2) "Alcoholic beverage" means and includes all alcohol, distilled spirits, beer, malt beverage, wine, or fortified wine.

   (3) "Brewpub" means any eating establishment in which beer or malt beverages are manufactured or brewed, subject to the barrel production limitation prescribed in Code Section 3-5-36 for retail consumption on the premises and solely in draft form. As used in this paragraph, the term "eating establishment" means an establishment which is licensed to sell distilled spirits, beer, malt beverages, or wines and which derives at least 50 percent of its total annual gross food and beverage sales from the sale of prepared meals or food; provided, however, that barrels of beer sold to licensed wholesale dealers for distribution to retailers and retail consumption dealers, as authorized pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of Code Section 3-5-36, shall not be used when determining the total annual gross food and beverage sales.

   (4) "Broker" means any person who purchases or obtains an alcoholic beverage from an importer, distillery, brewery, or winery and sells the alcoholic beverage to another broker, importer, or wholesaler without having custody of the alcoholic beverage or maintaining a stock of the alcoholic beverage.

   (5) "Commissioner" means the state revenue commissioner.

   (6) "County or municipality" means those political subdivisions of this state as defined by law and includes any form of political subdivision consolidating a county with one or more municipalities.

   (7) "Department" means the Department of Revenue.

   (8) "Distilled spirits" means any alcoholic beverage obtained by distillation or containing more than 21 percent alcohol by volume, including, but not limited to, all fortified wines.

   (9) "Fortified wine" means any alcoholic beverage containing more than 21 percent alcohol by volume made from fruits, berries, or grapes either by natural fermentation or by natural fermentation with brandy added. The term includes, but is not limited to, brandy.

   (10) "Gallon" or "wine gallon" means a United States gallon of liquid measure equivalent to the volume of 231 cubic inches or the nearest equivalent metric measurement.

   (10.1) "Hard cider" means an alcoholic beverage obtained by the fermentation of the juice of apples, containing not more than 6 percent alcohol by volume, including, but not limited to flavored or carbonated cider. For purposes of this title, hard cider shall be deemed a malt beverage. The term does not include "sweet cider."

   (11) "Importer" means any person who imports an alcoholic beverage into this state from a foreign country and sells the alcoholic beverage to another importer, broker, or wholesaler and who maintains a stock of the alcoholic beverage.

   (12) "Individual" means a natural person.

   (13) "Malt beverage" means any alcoholic beverage obtained by the fermentation of any infusion or decoction of barley, malt, hops, or any other similar product, or any combination of such products in water, containing not more than 14 percent alcohol by volume and including ale, porter, brown, stout, lager beer, small beer, and strong beer. The term does not include sake, known as Japanese rice wine.

   (14) "Manufacturer" means any maker, producer, or bottler of an alcoholic beverage. The term also means:

      (A) In the case of distilled spirits, any person engaged in distilling, rectifying, or blending any distilled spirits;

      (B) In the case of malt beverages, any brewer; and

      (C) In the case of wine, any vintner.

   (15) "Military reservation" means a duly commissioned post, camp, base, or station of a branch of the armed forces of the United States located on territory within this state which has been ceded to the United States.

   (16) "Package" means a bottle, can, keg, barrel, or other original consumer container.

   (17) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, cooperative, nonprofit membership corporation, joint venture, association, company, corporation, agency, syndicate, estate, trust, business trust, receiver, fiduciary, or other group or combination acting as a unit, body politic, or political subdivision, whether public, private, or quasi-public.

   (18) "Retail consumption dealer" means any person who sells distilled spirits for consumption on the premises at retail only to consumers and not for resale.

   (19) "Retailer" or "retail dealer" means, except as to distilled spirits, any person who sells alcoholic beverages, either in unbroken packages or for consumption on the premises, at retail only to consumers and not for resale. With respect to distilled spirits, the term shall have the same meaning as the term "retail package liquor store."

   (19.1) "Retail package liquor store" means a retail business establishment owned by an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other business entity:

      (A) Primarily engaged in the retail sale of distilled spirits, malt beverages, and wine in unbroken packages, not for consumption on the premises, except as authorized under this chapter; and

      (B) Which derives from such retail sale of alcoholic beverages in unbroken packages at least 75 percent of its total annual gross sales from the sale of a combination of distilled spirits, malt beverages, and wine.

   (20) "Shipper" means any person who ships an alcoholic beverage from outside this state.

   (21) "Standard case" means six containers of 1.75 liters, 12 containers of 750 milliliters, 12 containers of one liter, 24 containers of 500 milliliters, 24 containers of 375 milliliters, 48 containers of 200 milliliters, or 120 containers of 50 milliliters.

   (22) "Taxpayer" means any person made liable by law to file a return or to pay tax.

   (23) "Wholesaler" or "wholesale dealer" means any person who sells alcoholic beverages to other wholesale dealers, to retail dealers, or to retail consumption dealers.

   (24) "Wine" means any alcoholic beverage containing not more than 21 percent alcohol by volume made from fruits, berries, or grapes either by natural fermentation or by natural fermentation with brandy added. The term includes, but is not limited to, all sparkling wines, champagnes, combinations of such beverages, vermouths, special natural wines, rectified wines, and like products. The term does not include cooking wine mixed with salt or other ingredients so as to render it unfit for human consumption as a beverage. A liquid shall first be deemed to be a wine at that point in the manufacturing process when it conforms to the definition of wine contained in this Code section.

Code 1933, § 5A-102, enacted by Ga. L. 1980, p. 1573, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1269, §§ 2-4; Ga. L. 1994, p. 553, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 734, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1581, § 1; Ga. L. 2004, p. 584, § 1; Ga. L. 2006, p. 206, § 1/HB 1248; Ga. L. 2012, p. 680, § 1/HB 472; Ga. L. 2013, p. 767, § 2/HB 124.