Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
CBS Philly
Pennsylvania expanding sales of "canned cocktails" beyond liquor stores
By Joe Brandt,
3 hours ago
Philadelphia schools dismiss early due to heat; breaking down hot weather alerts | Digital Brief 03:05
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- They said there ain't no laws when you're drinking claws , but the rules in Pennsylvania have been historically complicated. State laws have kept some of White Claw's rivals out of gas stations and beer distributors, with them only available in state-run liquor stores.
Here's the deal: under the old state laws, spirits like vodka, gin and tequila could only be sold in Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores, run by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The same went for cocktails containing those spirits.
"Unfortunately, only limited products are currently being offered, and those sales account for less than 2% of shelf space in stores. As these products continue to grow, they are flooding into neighboring states, while Pennsylvania's selection remains limited," Republican state Sen. Mike Regan, who represents York and Cumberland counties, said in a news release . Regan sponsored Senate Bill 688, which Shapiro later signed into law and discussed in his budget address.
"Thanks to this budget, 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. That is real freedom right there," Shapiro said.
How the permit process works and when you can buy High Noon, Surfside at grocery stores
Businesses including restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and convenience stores can apply for ready-to-drink cocktail permits starting on Tuesday, Aug. 27. If their permit is granted by the PLCB, sales would be barred from starting until Monday, Sept. 16, the day the law takes effect.
The permit would cover spirit-based cocktails with an alcohol by volume ranging from 0.5% to 12.5% in containers up to 16 ounces. Businesses could sell no more than 192 ounces of ready-to-drink cocktail per sale.
The permit cost includes a $2,500 application fee and an annual renewal fee of 2% of the cost of ready-to-drink cocktails the permitholder buys each year. Applications can be filled out on PLCB+, the agency's licensing platform.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Comments / 0