Buying Beer: What You Need To Know

Alcohol sales have been a contentious issue in South Africa, with the country implementing a national ban on alcohol sales to combat the spread of COVID-19. This decision was met with criticism, with some arguing that it would lead to a growth in the illegal alcohol market and changes in drinking behaviour, potentially endangering consumers. With the ban now lifted, the sale of alcohol is permitted under specific conditions. Licensed premises can sell alcohol for off-site consumption from Mondays to Thursdays, with wineries, small brewers, and duty-free shops following their normal licensed operating hours. On-site consumption is allowed in restaurants and taverns throughout the week until 10 pm. These regulations aim to balance public health concerns with the economic needs of the alcohol industry, particularly as South Africa moves to level 3 lockdown restrictions.

Where to buy beer online

There are many options for buying beer online, whether you're after a speedy local delivery, a specialty microbrew, or a subscription service.

Local Delivery Services

Local delivery services will pick up your order from a shop of your choice and deliver it to your door, usually for a surcharge and a sales commission. Some popular options include:

• Drizly: Delivers within the hour for a $5 surcharge.
• Saucey: Promises quick, zero-fee delivery, but the beer selection can be limited in certain areas.
• Minibar: Fees are worked into the price, and there is no delivery fee, but there is an option to tip.

Online Retailers

Online retailers are a good option if you're after something specific or something you can't find locally. Some popular options include:

• FreshDirect: $5.99 delivery fee, with a range of beers from domestic brews to craft beers.
• Craft City: Specialises in smaller brewery labels, with over 100 different brews available. Shipping fees depend on location and order size.
• CraftShack: An online marketplace that services orders between customers and smaller, craft-centric bottleshops. Flat-rate shipping to all lower 48 states.
• Half Time: A New York-based e-commerce site with one of the largest selections of beer and cider around. Ships to select zip codes in 26 states.
• Best Damn Beer Shop: A San Diego-based retailer offering same-day pickup for locals, and shipping to 22 states for out-of-state customers.

Subscription-Based Clubs

Subscription-based beer retailers are a great way to discover new breweries and expand your palate. Some popular options include:

• Beer of the Month Club: $29.95 per month, plus $15 shipping, for four different beers from two different lightly distributed US microbreweries.
• Tavour: An app-based service that releases two new beers per day, which you can claim and add to a custom box. Shipping is $15 regardless of the number of beers purchased.
• Craft Beer Kings: Choose your favourite style of beer and receive a case of 12 pint-sized cans for $99 a month.

Other Options

There are also other options for buying beer online, such as through social media apps like Untappd, or through breweries' own apps.

Beer brands available

Beer is widely available to buy, with many brands and varieties to choose from. Here is a list of some popular beer brands:

Lager

• Budweiser
• Coors Banquet
• Miller High Life
• Corona Extra
• Modelo Especial
• Foster's
• Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR)
• Bud Light
• Miller Lite
• Keystone Light
• Busch
• Milwaukee's Best
• Miller Genuine Draft
• Castle
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Ale

• Newcastle Brown Ale
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
• Bell's Oberon American Wheat Ale
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Stout

• Guinness
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IPA

• Cigar City Jai Alai
• Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
• Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale
• Lawson's Finest Liquids Sip of Sunshine IPA
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Wheat Beer

• Weihenstaphaner Hefe Weissbier
• St. Pauli Girl
• Leinenkugel’s Original Ale
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Belgian Beer

• Leffe Blonde Ale
• Victory Golden Monkey
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Low-Calorie Beer

• Miller64
• Michelob Ultra
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Non-Alcoholic Beer

• Heineken 0.0
• Super Bock Non-Alcoholic
• Corona Cero 0.0%
• Bavaria Original 0% Alcohol

Hours of sale

The hours of sale for beer vary widely across the United States. In this response, I will outline the hours of sale for beer in each state.

Alabama

Beer and wine are not controlled by the state, but spirits are. On-premises and off-premises sales are limited to 2 am on Sundays. Beer and wine can be sold in supermarkets, but spirits cannot. Alcohol can be served 24 hours a day unless restricted by local ordinances. Twenty-six of Alabama's 67 counties do not allow alcohol sales, though possession and consumption remain legal.

Alaska

No alcohol is state-controlled in Alaska. On-premises and off-premises sales are allowed from 8 am to 5 am every day. Liquor sales are not permitted in grocery stores.

Arizona

No alcohol is state-controlled in Arizona. Sales are permitted from 6 am to 2 am every day. On Sundays, sales are allowed from 10 am to 2 am. Drive-through liquor stores are legal.

Arkansas

Distribution is not state-controlled in Arkansas. On-premises sales vary depending on the type of establishment. Off-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to 1 am Monday to Friday, but only until midnight on Saturdays. Beer and wine can be sold in supermarkets, but only in-state-produced wine is permitted, and spirits are prohibited. Sunday and Christmas Day sales are prohibited unless exceptions apply.

California

Sales are not controlled by the state in California. Sales are allowed from 6 am to 2 am every day. Wine, beer, and spirits can be sold in grocery stores. Counties can restrict sales with local laws.

Colorado

Sales are not controlled by the state in Colorado. On-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to 2 am, and off-premises sales are permitted from 8 am to midnight. Only 3.2% ABV beer can be sold in grocery stores. Off-premises sales are allowed seven days a week. Liquor stores are only allowed to operate one location, and absinthe is legal.

Connecticut

Sales are not controlled by the state in Connecticut. On-premises sales are allowed from 9 am to 1 am Monday to Thursday, and 9 am to 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Off-premises sales are permitted from 8 am to 9 pm Monday to Saturday. Off-premises sales are prohibited on Sundays and holidays. Beer can be sold in grocery stores.

Delaware

Sales are not controlled by the state in Delaware. On-premises sales are allowed from 9 am to 1 am, and off-premises sales are permitted from 9 am to 1 am Monday to Saturday, and noon to 8 pm on Sundays, subject to local ordinances. Holiday sales are not allowed, nor are off-premises sales outside of a licensed liquor store, taproom, or brewpub. Persons under 21 are not allowed into any off-premises licensed venue.

Florida

Sales are not controlled by the state in Florida. State law prohibits on-premises and off-premises sales between 1 am and 7 am, unless the county decides to change the operating hours. For example, in Miami-Dade County, liquor stores may operate 24 hours a day. Beer, wine, and low-alcohol liquors can be purchased at grocery stores. Spirits greater than 76.5% ABV are illegal.

Georgia

Sales are not controlled by the state in Georgia. Hours of sale are determined by the county. Beer with an ABV above 14% is illegal. No off-premises sales are allowed on Sundays. Certain areas permit public consumption with limitations: one drink on the street, with a size limit of 16 oz, and drinking from a can, bottle, or glass is prohibited.

Hawaii

Sales are not controlled by the state in Hawaii. On-premises sales are allowed from 11:50 am to 6 am if the proper cabaret licensing is obtained. Off-premises sales are permitted from 11:50 am to 12 am. Spirits, beer, and wine can be sold in grocery stores.

Idaho

Spirit sales are controlled by the state in Idaho. On-premises sales are allowed from 10 am to 1 am. Beer and wine can be sold in grocery stores. Beverages exceeding 16% ABV can only be sold in state dispensaries or contracted stores.

Illinois

Sales are not state-controlled in Illinois. On-premises sales are allowed from 6 am to 4 am. All beverages can be sold in grocery stores. All sales laws are up to local municipalities. Sales on Sundays are not allowed until 11 am.

Indiana

Sales are not controlled by the state in Indiana. On-premises sales are permitted from 7 am to 3 am Monday to Saturday, and 10:30 am to 12:30 am on Sundays. Off-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to 3 am, but are prohibited on Sundays. No sales are allowed on Christmas, New Year's Day, or election day before the polls close. Alcohol can be sold in supermarkets.

Iowa

Spirit sales are controlled by the state in Iowa. On-premises and off-premises sales are allowed from 6 am to 2 am Monday to Saturday, and 8 am to 2 am on Sundays. Grocery store alcohol sales are permitted. All beer greater than 6% ABV must be shipped from the state warehouse.

Kansas

Kansas does not control liquor distribution, but it has some of the strictest laws in the nation. All alcohol was prohibited from 1881 to 1948, and on-premises sales were prohibited from 1881 to 1987. Sunday sales have only been allowed since 2005. In counties that allow on-premises sales, it is permitted from 9 am to 2 am, and off-premises sales are allowed from 9 am to 11 pm Monday to Saturday, and noon to 7 or 8 pm on Sundays. Twenty-nine counties do not allow on-premises sales, 59 counties only allow it if the establishment makes at least 30% of its profits from alcohol, and only 17 counties allow sales without restriction. Sales are prohibited on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Only 3.2% ABV beer is available at grocery stores.

Kentucky

Sales are not state-controlled in Kentucky. On-premises sales are allowed from 6 am to 4 am, and off-premises sales are permitted from 6 am to 2 pm. Alcohol can be sold in grocery stores. All ordinances are subject to local laws, and only Louisville allows on-premises sales from 2 am to 4 am. Sunday sales are allowed but can be overruled locally. Fifty-three counties are completely dry, and 16 counties have some cities that allow sales. Another 21 counties only allow specialty sales, such as wine from wineries. There are only five counties around the major cities that fully allow sales.

Louisiana

Sales are not state-controlled in Louisiana. There are no restrictions on on-premises or off-premises sales unless the municipality decides that on-premises sales must stop at 2 pm. Off-premises sales are allowed in grocery stores and all other licensed stores. These sales can be 24/7, and no municipality can challenge this. In New Orleans, you can drink alcohol in public and take your drinks from one bar to another, depending on the bar's rules. Many places allow consumption of packaged beverages on the street, but it is up to the municipality. Most bars can be entered at 18, but you must be 21 to purchase and consume alcohol.

Maine

Spirits sales are controlled by the state in Maine. On-premises hours are 6 am to 1 am Monday to Saturday, and 9 am to 1 am on Sundays. Beer and wine can be purchased in grocery stores. Wine with an ABV greater than 15.5% must be sold in state-contracted stores. Alcohol sales are not permitted after 1 am any day.

Maryland

Laws in Maryland vary by locality, and sales are not state-controlled. Some counties prohibit sales on Sundays, while others do not. Some places restrict alcohol heavily, but there are no completely dry counties. Some alcohol is allowed to be sold in grocery stores in some counties.

Massachusetts

Distribution is not state-controlled in Massachusetts. On-premises sales are allowed from 8 am to 1 am (2 am in Boston). Off-premises sales are permitted from 8 am to 11 pm. Sunday sales on and off-premises start at noon. Cities have the authority to shorten these times. Some convenience stores are licensed to sell beer, but not grocery stores or gas stations. Happy hours are prohibited, and you can only purchase two drinks per individual at one time on-premises.

Michigan

Spirits sales are controlled by the state in Michigan. On-premises and off-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to 2 am, and noon to 2 am on Sundays. Any liquor can be sold at grocery stores and convenience stores, except for gas stations in Wayne County. Sales of liquor after 9 pm on December 24 and all of Christmas Day are prohibited. On-premises sales on January 1 are allowed until 4 am.

Minnesota

The state does not control sales in Minnesota. On-premises sales are allowed from 8 am to 2 am, and off-premises sales are permitted from 8 am to 10 pm. Local ordinances can change off-sale hour allowances, and growler sales are allowed until 10 pm.

Mississippi

Spirits distribution is controlled by the state in Mississippi. Sales hours are fixed by local municipalities. Beer can be sold in grocery stores, but wine greater than 6% ABV can only be sold in state-controlled stores. Sales are prohibited on Christmas Day, but there is no open container law. You can get free alcohol 24/7 in coastal casinos. In most counties, Sunday sales are prohibited, and there are some dry counties.

Missouri

Missouri has very permissive alcohol laws. Alcohol is not state-controlled. On-premises sales are allowed from 6 am to 1:30 am Monday to Saturday, and 9 am to 12 am on Sundays. St. Louis and Kansas City, along with a few other counties, can operate from 6 am to 3 am daily. Off-premises sales are allowed from the same times, and bars in St. Louis and Kansas City are allowed to double as liquor stores, remaining open until 3 am. There are no state open container laws, no blue laws, no public intoxication laws, and absinthe is not prohibited. There are no dry counties, and prohibiting off-premises sales is illegal. State laws preempt local laws. Grocery stores and gas stations can sell liquor with the only limitation being operating hours. Parents and guardians may give their children alcohol. There is no prohibition of consumption by minors, though purchase, possession, and intoxication by minors are illegal. Open containers are allowed in Kansas City's Power and Light District. You may manufacture up to 100 gallons of liquor for personal use without state permits or taxes.

Montana

Spirits are regulated by the state in Montana, but beer and wine may be sold at grocery stores as long as they are under 16% ABV. Above that, wine must be sold at state-controlled stores. On-premises sales are limited to 2 am.

Nebraska

Sales are not controlled by the state in Nebraska. On-premises and off-premises sales are allowed from 6 am to 1 am, though you cannot purchase hard liquor on Sundays before noon. Omaha has repealed the Sunday hard alcohol law. All alcohol can be purchased in grocery stores.

Nevada

The state does not control distribution in Nevada, and there are very few laws except for age restrictions. Stores can be open 24 hours a day, and liquor can be sold in grocery and convenience stores. Public intoxication is legal, and making any local laws to change this is prohibited.

New Hampshire

Spirit sales are controlled by the state in New Hampshire. On-premises sales are allowed from 6 am to 1 am, and off-premises sales are permitted until 11:45 pm. Beer can be sold in grocery stores, but there is a 12% ABV cap for beer sold in the state. Liquor is sold in state-run stores, often located along highway rest areas.

New Jersey

Sales are not controlled by the state in New Jersey. Hours of sale are regulated by each municipality. Beer and wine can occasionally be sold in grocery stores. There are some dry counties, particularly in the southern part of the state.

New Mexico

Sales are not state-controlled in New Mexico. On-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to 2 am, and off-premises sales are permitted until midnight, except on Sundays when no sales are permitted. Stores can apply for on-premises and off-premises licenses to allow for Sunday sales if their municipality allows it, but sales on Christmas are never permitted. Alcohol can be sold in grocery stores. Parents, legal guardians, and adult spouses are allowed to give minors alcohol within private property under their control.

New York

Sales are not controlled by the state in New York. On-premises sales are allowed from 8 am to 4 am. Off-premises beer is always available except from 3 am to 8 am on Sundays, and wine and spirits are available from 9 am to midnight Monday to Saturday, and noon to 9 pm on Sundays. Beer can only be sold in supermarkets, and wine and spirits can only be purchased at liquor stores.

North Carolina

Spirits are controlled by the state in North Carolina. On-premises sales are allowed at any time except from 2 am to 7 am Monday to Saturday, and 2 am to noon on Sundays. Beer and wine can be sold in supermarkets, but only state-run stores can sell liquor from 11 am to 9 pm Monday to Saturday. There is a 15% ABV limit on beer.

North Dakota

Sales are not controlled by the state in North Dakota. On-premises sales are allowed from 8 am to 2 am Monday to Saturday, and noon to 2 am on Sundays. Off-premises sales appear to be allowed until 2 am. Sales are limited on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Christmas Eve.

Ohio

Spirit sales are controlled by the state in Ohio. On-premises sales are allowed from 5:30 am to 2:30 am, and off-premises sales are permitted from 5:30 am to 1 am. Grocery stores can sell all forms of alcohol. The state licenses private businesses for a fee. There is a 12% ABV limit on beer.

Oklahoma

Sales are not controlled by the state in Oklahoma. On-premises sales are allowed from 6 am to 2 am, and off-premises sales are permitted from 10 am to 9 pm. Only 3.2% beer can be sold in supermarkets, and any beer over 4% can only be sold at room temperature in liquor stores, which are closed on Sundays and some holidays. As of 2007, stores are open on election days.

Oregon

Spirit sales are controlled by the state in Oregon. On-premises and off-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to 2:30 am, and beer and wine can be sold at supermarkets. Liquor is only available at state-run liquor stores.

Pennsylvania

Wine and spirits sales are controlled by the state in Pennsylvania. On-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to 2 am Monday to Saturday, and 11 am to 2 am on Sundays with a special permit. If non-alcoholic sales are at least 30%, private clubs can sell until 3 am. Wine and spirits can only be purchased at state-run liquor stores, which operate from 9 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday, and noon to 5 pm on Sundays. Liquor permits for events appear to be complex and limited.

Rhode Island

Sales are not controlled by the state in Rhode Island. On-premises sales are allowed until 2 am, and off-premises sales are permitted from 9 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday, and noon to 6 pm on Sundays. Alcohol can only be sold in liquor stores.

South Carolina

Sales are not controlled by the state in South Carolina. On-premises sales hours are controlled locally and vary. Beer and low-alcohol wine can be sold 24 hours, and liquor can be sold from 9 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday at liquor stores. There is a 17.5% ABV cap on beer and 16% on wine. No liquor sales are allowed on election day.

South Dakota

Sales are not controlled by the state in South Dakota. Sales of alcohol are allowed in supermarkets. There is a 14% ABV limit on beer.

Tennessee

Sales are not controlled by the state in Tennessee. On-premises sales are allowed from 8 am to 3 am Monday to Saturday, and 10 am to 3 am on Sundays. Off-premises sales are permitted from 8 am to 11 pm, except on Sundays. Beer can be sold in supermarkets, and open container laws only apply to the driver of a vehicle, not their passengers.

Texas

Sales are not controlled by the state in Texas. On-premises sales are allowed from 7 am to midnight or 2 am. Beer can be sold off-premises from 7 am to midnight Monday to Friday, 7 am to 1 am on Saturdays, and noon to midnight on Sundays. Hard liquor can be sold from 10 am to 9 pm Monday to Saturday. Beer and wine can be sold in supermarkets. Alcohol greater than 15.5% ABV requires additional licensing, and on-premises beverages sold on Sundays between 10 am and noon must be accompanied by food.

Utah

Sales are controlled by the state in Utah. On-premises sales of liquor are allowed by restaurants from noon to midnight, and beer from 10 am to 1 am. Private clubs can serve liquor during the same hours as beer for restaurants. Off-premises sales vary but are all state-run and close no later than 10 pm, remaining closed on Sundays.

Licensed sellers

The ban was lifted in June 2020, and licensed sellers were once again allowed to sell alcohol, albeit with restrictions. On-premises licensed sellers, such as bars, restaurants, and taverns, were allowed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption only, effectively turning them into bottle stores. Sale hours and days were restricted, with sales permitted from Monday to Thursday, up to 5 pm.

Licensed premises selling alcohol for off-site consumption, such as liquor stores, were allowed to operate four days a week, from 10 am to 6 pm, from Monday to Thursday. Registered wineries, wine farms, microbreweries, and microdistilleries were permitted to sell alcohol for off-site consumption during their normal licensed operating hours.

Licensed premises selling alcohol for on-site consumption, including restaurants and taverns, were allowed to operate throughout the week from 10 am to 10 pm. However, all alcohol had to be consumed off-site, and strict rules were in place regarding buying and selling alcohol.

In 2021, the ban on the sale of alcohol was lifted once again, but restrictions remained in place. Licensed premises were permitted to sell alcohol for off-site consumption from Mondays to Thursdays, 10 am to 6 pm. Normal licensed operating hours were reinstated for duty-free shops, registered wineries, wine farms, microbreweries, and microdistilleries for off-site consumption.

Online sales of alcohol were also allowed, with normal delivery times observed. However, there were still some restrictions on where and when alcohol could be sold, with on-site consumption in licensed premises limited to specific hours.

Restrictions on consumption

The legal consumption of alcohol varies significantly across the United States, as the Twenty-first Amendment grants each state and territory the power to regulate intoxicating liquors within their jurisdiction.

The minimum age to purchase and possess alcohol in public is 21 years across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. However, the minimum drinking age or the minimum age to possess alcohol in private is not restricted by the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, and most states allow those under 21 to drink in certain circumstances. For example, some states like Tennessee and Washington allow those under 21 to drink for religious purposes. States including Oregon and New York permit those under 21 to drink on private non-alcohol-selling premises. In states like Ohio, those under 21 are allowed to drink in private and public settings, including bars and restaurants, if accompanied by parents, guardians, or a spouse who is 21 or older.

In the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, the minimum purchasing and drinking age is 18, as the Act's provisions only apply to states. The minimum purchase age is 21 in the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and U.S. Minor Outlying Islands.

United States military reservations are exempt from state, county, and local alcohol laws. Class Six stores, officers' or NCO clubs, and military commissaries on military reservations may sell and serve alcoholic beverages to authorized patrons at any time during their prescribed hours of operation. The drinking age on these reservations is typically set to mirror the local community, although the installation commander is free to set it otherwise.

In terms of production, individual states are free to restrict or prohibit the manufacture of beer, mead, hard cider, wine, and other fermented alcoholic beverages at home. Homebrewing beer is now legal in all 50 states, with Mississippi and Alabama being the last two states to legalize it in 2013. Most states allow the brewing of up to 100 US gallons (380 L) of beer per adult per year and up to 200 US gallons (760 L) per household annually when there are two or more adults. However, due to federal excise taxes on alcohol, homebrewers are prohibited from selling any beer they produce.

The production of distilled alcohols is regulated at the national level, and owning or operating a distillation apparatus without the proper paperwork and taxes carries federal criminal penalties.

On land or property rented or owned by the federal government, state, federal district, and territory alcohol laws do not apply. Instead, only federal government laws are enforced.

State laws also vary regarding the sale of alcohol. For example, in Alabama, beer and wine are not controlled by the state, but spirits are. On-premise and off-premise liquor sales are limited to 2 AM on Sundays, and beer and wine can be sold in supermarkets, but spirits cannot. Alabama also has a 6% ABV cap on beer sales, and bottles cannot exceed 16 ounces. In contrast, in Alaska, no alcohol is state-controlled, and on-premise and off-premise sales are permitted from 8 AM to 5 AM. Liquor sales are not allowed in grocery stores.

Some states have unique laws regarding public consumption. For example, in Georgia, public consumption is legal but with limitations: only one drink is allowed on the street, and the size cannot exceed 16 ounces. Drinking from a can, bottle, or glass is prohibited. In Louisiana, it is legal to drink alcohol in plastic cups in public in New Orleans, and if allowed by the bar, drinks can be carried from one bar to another. Many places in Louisiana also allow the consumption of packaged beverages on the street, but it is up to the municipality.

International Context

During the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa implemented a 66-day prohibition on the sale of alcoholic drinks. When the prohibition was lifted, bars, taverns, and licensed restaurants were allowed to sell alcohol on a takeaway basis, effectively turning them into liquor stores. Sale hours and days were restricted, and online sales were allowed but had to adhere to the same hours as physical stores.

Frequently asked questions