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CBS Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania expanding sales of "canned cocktails" beyond liquor stores
By Joe Brandt,
2 days ago
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Businesses that sell alcohol in Pennsylvania will soon be able to sell canned cocktails like High Noon and Surfside which were previously only available in state-run liquor stores.
Here's the deal: under old state laws, spirits like vodka, gin and tequila could only be sold in Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores, which the PLCB operates. 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 in 2023. 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 cocktails 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.
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