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On Tuesday the Troup County Board of Commissioners approved the first Distilled Spirits Pouring License license since the voters approved allowed liquor sales by the glass via referendum in November.

Michael Young of the Fields Golf Course near LaGrange was the first to receive the new license. 

County Planner Ruth West said Young updated all of his licenses, his regular business license and one for the pouring of beer and wine, before seeking the new liquor pouring license, which staff recommended approval.

West said the golf club will need to continue to serve food as long as they are serving beer and wine or any type of distilled spirits. Establishments that are strictly bars, meaning they don’t serve food, are not allowed in the county.

Now that Young has the liquor pouring license he will need to seek a similar license from the State of Georgia.

Voters in Troup County approved the called referendum on whether to allow mixed drink sales in the unincorporated areas of Troup County on Nov. 5, 2024. The measure was approved with 19201 (65%) YES votes to 10196 (35%) NO votes.

The Fields was one of three local businesses that came before the Board of Commissioners and asked for the referendum to be put on the ballot earlier in 2024.

All three cities, LaGrange, Hogansville and West Point, had already approved liquor drink sales.   

In December, the county updated its code of ordinances to regulate liquor drink sales, updating the fee schedule for liquor drinks and beer/wine sale permits at the same time.

County Manager Eric Mosley reiterated that a high percentage of their sales has to come from food. Distilled spirits are just a small portion of their total sales in the restaurants allowed to sell liquor drinks, he said.

A sales ratio of food sales to alcohol sales equal to or greater than 50 percent is required under the Troup County code for a pouring license. Packaged liquor sales are still not allowed in unincorporated areas of the county.

A public hearing was held for the approval of the pouring license but no one spoke for or against the issue. The license was later unanimously approved by the Board of Commissioners.

At least one other liquor pouring license application is in the works. Hog Heaven in LaGrange has started the process, according to West.