Jason Wagner
If you're planning a Memorial Day celebration in Connecticut, you may be wondering if you can buy beer to serve at your party. Connecticut is not a dry state, and there are no dry counties, although Bridgewater was the last dry town until 2014. The state's alcohol industry features over 40 distilled spirits producers, more than 120 breweries, and over 40 wineries. The state's default hours for selling alcohol are between 9 am and 10 pm Monday through Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays. On-premise sales, such as bars and restaurants, are allowed until 1 am Monday to Friday, 2 am on Saturday, and 2 am on Sunday. Off-premise sales, such as liquor and grocery stores, are not allowed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Memorial Day is a federal holiday, and while alcohol sales may be restricted on federal holidays in some states, this does not appear to be the case in Connecticut. However, it is always a good idea to check with your local laws and regulations to be sure.
What You'll Learn
Connecticut's alcohol laws
On-Premise Consumption:
On-premise consumption refers to establishments where alcohol is intended to be consumed on the premises, such as bars and restaurants. The hours for on-premise alcohol sales in Connecticut are as follows:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
On Christmas Day, on-premise sales are only allowed if the retailer also sells food, and regular hourly restrictions apply. On New Year's Day, the cutoff point is extended to 3:00 a.m.
Off-Premise Consumption:
Off-premise consumption refers to retailers where alcohol is intended to be purchased and consumed elsewhere, such as liquor and grocery stores. The hours for off-premise alcohol sales in Connecticut are as follows:
- Monday to Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Off-premise alcohol sales are not allowed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Additionally, grocery stores cannot sell beer on these days.
Memorial Day Alcohol Sales:
Memorial Day alcohol sales laws vary by state. In Connecticut, there do not appear to be any state-wide restrictions on alcohol sales specifically for Memorial Day. However, it is always a good idea to check with local laws and regulations, as these can vary.
Other Alcohol Laws in Connecticut:
- Connecticut is not a dry state, and there are no dry counties. However, until 2014, the town of Bridgewater was dry, and it still has stricter regulations on alcohol sales.
- The minimum drinking age in Connecticut is 21. However, minors are allowed to consume alcohol with the consent and supervision of their parents or spouses who are over 21.
- Connecticut does not have an open container law, so drivers over 21 can have open alcohol in their vehicle as long as they are not consuming it.
- Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol is illegal in Connecticut, with strict penalties for those convicted.
- Connecticut has a minimum price law for wine and spirits, which makes the state less competitive with its neighbours.
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On-premise and off-premise sales
On-Premise Sales
On-premise sales in Connecticut are allowed during the following hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
On Christmas Day, on-premise sales are only permitted if the retailer also sells food. In this case, regular hourly restrictions apply. On New Year's Day, the cutoff point is extended to 3:00 a.m.
Off-Premise Sales
Off-premise sales in Connecticut are allowed during the following hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Off-premise sales are not permitted on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day.
Memorial Day Sales
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States, and each state has its own regulations regarding alcohol sales on this day. In Connecticut, there do not appear to be any state-wide restrictions on alcohol sales for Memorial Day specifically. However, as off-premise sales are not allowed on public holidays, it is likely that this restriction would apply to Memorial Day. On the other hand, on-premise sales are allowed on public holidays, so bars and restaurants in Connecticut would be permitted to sell alcohol during their regular hours.
It is always recommended to check local laws and regulations, as these can vary between towns and counties.
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Alcohol sales on Memorial Day in other states
Connecticut is not a dry state, and there are no dry counties in the state. The state has specific time ranges when the sale of alcohol is legal. On-premise sales (where alcohol is intended to be consumed on-site) are allowed from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. Off-premise sales (where alcohol is intended to be consumed elsewhere) are legal from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. These sales are illegal on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
While Connecticut's alcohol laws are fairly clear, other states have a more complex relationship with alcohol sales on Memorial Day. Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) states, where the state controls the sale and/or distribution of liquor, will vary in their opening hours. For example, liquor stores in Alabama are closed on Memorial Day, except for those in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. Idaho and Utah also keep their liquor stores closed on Memorial Day, whereas Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming keep them open.
States that are not ABC states, like the District of Columbia, have privately-owned liquor stores, so their holiday opening hours are up to the owner. Even within these states, individual counties and municipalities could have laws that affect whether stores are open on Memorial Day.
While the above information provides a rough guide, it is always best to call ahead to check the opening hours of your local liquor store.
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Where to buy alcohol on Memorial Day
If you're in Connecticut and need to buy alcohol on Memorial Day, you may be wondering if and where you can do so. The laws regarding alcohol sales on Memorial Day vary across the US, with some states restricting sales on this day. So, what is the situation in Connecticut?
Connecticut is not a dry state, and there are no dry counties. The state's alcohol industry includes over 40 distilled spirits producers and bottlers, more than 120 breweries, and over 40 wineries. Alcohol is widely available here, but there are some restrictions to be aware of, especially on holidays.
On-Premise Sales
On-premise sales refer to establishments where alcohol is intended to be consumed on the premises, such as bars and restaurants. On Memorial Day, these places are typically allowed to serve alcohol during their regular hours, which are as follows:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
On-premise sales are not allowed on Christmas Day, and there may be extended hours on New Year's Day. Local zoning rules may also impose stricter limits.
Off-Premise Sales
Off-premise sales refer to places where alcohol is intended to be consumed elsewhere, such as liquor stores, grocery stores, and gas stations. On Memorial Day, the availability of alcohol from these retailers may be more limited. Here are the usual hours for off-premise sales:
Package and Liquor Stores:
- Monday to Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Package stores are required to remain closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Grocery Stores:
- Monday to Saturday: Alcohol sales are typically allowed during the store's operating hours.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Grocery stores cannot sell beer on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day.
Gas Stations:
- Monday to Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Buying Alcohol on Memorial Day
While Connecticut does not have any state-wide restrictions on alcohol sales on Memorial Day, it is always a good idea to check with your local laws and regulations. Additionally, it is recommended to buy your alcohol beforehand to avoid any potential last-minute restrictions or shortages. Big-box retailers like Walmart and Target are likely to be open on Memorial Day, offering additional options for alcohol purchases.
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Connecticut's drinking laws
Connecticuts Drinking Laws
The minimum drinking age in Connecticut is 21, however, minors are allowed to drink with the consent and supervision of their parents or spouse. Minors can also work in hospitality serving alcohol from the age of 18.
Connecticut is not a dry state, but until 2014, it did have dry towns, the last of which was Bridgewater. The state has specific time ranges when the sale of alcohol is legal, and individual towns may set more restrictive hours.
On-premise sales, where alcohol is intended to be consumed on the premises, are allowed in bars and restaurants from 9 am to 1 am Monday to Friday, 9 am to 2 am on Saturday, and 10 am to 2 am on Sunday. On New Year's Day, the cutoff point is extended to 3 am. On Christmas Day, on-premise sales are only allowed if the retailer also sells food.
Off-premise sales, where alcohol is intended to be consumed elsewhere, are allowed in liquor and grocery stores from 8 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday. Off-premise sales are illegal on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Package stores are only allowed to sell alcohol from 8 am until 10 pm Monday to Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays. Grocery stores cannot sell beer on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day.
Connecticut is one of the few states that does not have an open container law, meaning drivers over 21 can have open alcohol in the car, as long as they are not drinking it. For those under 21, any alcohol in the car can result in a 60-day suspension of their license.
The legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is 0.08 for those over 21 and 0.02 for under 18s. Refusing to take a BAC test will result in an ignition interlock device being installed, with the length of time depending on the number of offenses.
The penalties for driving under the influence include jail time, fines, and license suspension. The penalties increase for second and third convictions.
Connecticut also prohibits boating under the influence (BUI), with similar penalties to driving under the influence.
The sale of powdered alcohol and alcohol before 9 am on Memorial Day is also illegal in Connecticut.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends. Connecticut does not restrict the sale of alcohol on Memorial Day, but individual towns may set more restrictive hours. It is best to check the specific laws in your town.
The hours for buying beer in Connecticut vary depending on the type of retailer and the day of the week. On-premise sales, such as at bars and restaurants, are typically allowed from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. Off-premise sales, such as at liquor and grocery stores, are usually permitted from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Yes, beer sales are restricted on certain holidays in Connecticut. Off-premise retailers, such as package stores and grocery stores, must remain closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. On-premise retailers, such as bars and restaurants, must close by 3:00 a.m. on New Year's Day morning.
