Fort Oglethorpe to allow on-premise wine, beer sampling

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Beer and wine connoisseurs can now sample before they buy in Fort Oglethorpe since the city council approved changes to its alcohol beverage ordinance on Monday, Jan. 9.

Beverage World in the Cloud Springs Road shopping center is so far the only store in Fort Oglethorpe that is equipped to sell beer samples and therefore will benefit from the amended ordinance. The store has a 20-tap growler station and sells craft beers and home brewing supplies along with a wide selection of wines.

Beverage World’s assistant manager Sam Kubilus and sales associate David Hilleke attended the meeting, both clearly satisfied with the council’s vote. Kubilus oversees the wine, beer and tobacco store for business owner Mitul Patel.

Patel was out of the country and could not attend the council meeting, Kubilus said. Kubilus previously said he and Patel had approached city officials about amending the city’s alcohol beverage ordinance to allow for on-premise sampling.

Fort Oglethorpe city manager Ron Goulart confirmed Beverage World could begin selling beer samples as soon as store management applies for and receives a sampling license from the city.

The annual fee for an on-premise beer and wine sampling license is $200. Beverage World already has a business and an alcohol license, Goulart said. Kubilus told council members he would likely sell the 1-ounce beer samples for 50 cents to $1 each.

Under the amended ordinance, any samples of tap beer brews or wine “shall not exceed one ounce nor shall an individual be offered more than three samples within a 24-hour period.” Goulart said as these sample amounts are small, it would take an individual four days of sampling just to drink an amount equal to one can of beer.

Another change to the ordinance eliminates a requirement for applicants to provide personal information on their spouses or children. Goulart cited privacy concerns over the old requirement.

The amended ordinance also will streamline the alcohol beverage renewal process, Goulart said. This change allows a license to be renewed upon the police chief’s recommendation for renewal and receipt of the applicant’s license fee. If the police chief were to recommend denial of a renewal license, the application would then be referred to the alcoholic beverage commission for renewal or rejection.

A quorum of three council members passed the amended ordinance after hearing a third and final reading of the draft amendment. Mayor Lynn Long and former mayor pro tem Louis Hamm were both ill and absent from the meeting. Council members Charles Sharrock, Earl Gray and Eddie Stinnett voted unanimously to approve changes to the ordinance. Council member Johnnie “Red” Smith was nominated to preside over the meeting in Lynn and Hamm’s absence and therefore could not vote on the amendment.

Smith commented he was purposely “set up” by his fellow council members to relinquish his vote on the alcohol amendment when they selected him to conduct the meeting.

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