HARRISBURG (TNS) — Pennsylvanians have grown accustomed to being able to buy beer and wine in some grocery and convenience stores but soon they may be able to buy ready-to-drink cocktails such as White Claw, On the Rocks, Stateside, Jack Daniel’s and High Noon as well.
What happened: Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday signed into law a bill that would allow these popular low-alcohol pre-mixed canned cocktails to be sold in more than 12,400 restaurants, bars, beer distributors, grocery stores and convenience stores already licensed to sell alcohol provided they obtain a special permit to sell the canned drinks. Currently, you can only buy these products in state-owned liquor stores where other spirits are sold in Pennsylvania.
What does the bill do: The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Mike Regan, R-York and Cumberland counties, limits the ready-made cocktail container size to 16 ounces and no more than 12.5% of the drink can be made up of alcohol. That alcohol content is similar to what is contained in malt-based canned cocktails that consumers can already access in grocery stores and the other retailers where beer and wine are sold, Regan said.
Restaurants or hotel are limited to selling no more than 192 ounces of premixed cocktails in a single transaction for off-premise consumption. Beer distributors can sell unlimited quantities of these products for off-premise consumption.
Restaurant and hotel sales of the product for off-premise consumption are prohibited after 11 p.m. With a Sunday sales permit, these ready-to-drink products can be sold by a restaurant or hotel on Sundays until 11 p.m. while sales by beer distributors can occur on Sundays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The new law takes effect in 60 days or about a week after Labor Day.
Why it matters: Not only does it make it more convenient for consumers of this popular product to buy, it will bring in revenue to state coffers.
According to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, it anticipates if the 12,439 licensed establishments apply to sell these ready-to-drink cocktails, it will raise $137 million in tax revenue over the next five years. That is not counting the additional money coming in from the permit application fees and annual renewal fees.
Background: Former Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation in 2016 that opened up beer and wine sales in supermarkets and convenience stores, which was regarded as the most substantial change to Pennsylvania’s alcohol sales system since the 1930s.
But that whet folks’ appetite to push for even more changes.
In 2021, Regan attempted to add the sale of canned cocktails as permitted products to be sold in grocery stores and other outlets. That effort faltered over differences with the House, which didn’t like it being packaged with an effort to make permanent a short-term pandemic rule that permitted bars to sell up to a gallon of cocktails on a to-go basis.
Regan tried again by offering it as a standalone measure later that year and the bill narrowly passed the Senate but died due to inaction in the House.
The third time has proven to be the charm although the legislation differs from the way Regan originally proposed it by making the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board the sole wholesaler that sells the ready-to-drink (RTDs) products to retailers.
A separate measure recently signed into law allows restaurants and bars to have longer happy hours and combo meals that include an adult beverage.
What people say: “This is monumental,” said Regan in a statement. “For the first time in 91 years, Pennsylvania consumers will be able to buy liquor-based alcohol-to-go at their local grocery store, convenience store, beer distributor or restaurant.”
However, he said the compromise that left the PLCB as the wholesaler “is in no way the most cost-effective or efficient way of getting RTDs on the shelves of retailers. That part has been left out because the unbreakable union entanglement in liquor issues has once again unnecessarily put self-interest above all else. Despite this, we have still achieved something that no one in the legislature has done in 91 years.”
“This bill is the next step in meeting consumer demand,” said Rep. Dan Deasy, D-Allegheny County. “It provides consumers with better access to their desired products, in this particular case, ready-to-drink cocktails.”
Said Andy Deloney, senior vice president of state government relations at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States: “Allowing adult consumers to purchase their favorite spirits ready-to-drink cocktails where they already buy beer and wine just makes sense. These products contain the same amount of alcohol as products already being sold in grocery and convenience stores, so consumers shouldn’t have to make an extra trip to purchase them.”
“You’ll be able to get your High Noons and your Statesides, made right here in Pennsylvania, at your local grocery store or your local gas station,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro. “That is real freedom.”
