Buying Beer After Hours: Is It Possible?

The ability to buy beer past curfew depends on your location. In the US, each state has its own liquor laws, and even within states, local jurisdictions can pass their own alcohol laws. In Texas, beer is available Monday to Friday from 7 am to midnight, and on Saturday from 7 am to 1 am. On Sundays, grocery and convenience stores may only sell beer from noon to midnight, while bars and restaurants can sell it from 10 am if it is in conjunction with food. In Chicago, there is a permanent curfew of midnight for liquor sales in stores, but bars and restaurants are exempt. During the pandemic, the UK implemented a 10 pm curfew for pubs, bars, and restaurants, but this has since been lifted.

Beer laws vary across US states

Beer laws vary significantly across US states. While the minimum drinking age is 21 across all states, the laws surrounding the sale, distribution, and consumption of alcohol differ from state to state.

In Vermont, for example, alcohol can be purchased 7 days a week, with on-premise retailers allowed to sell between 8 am and 2 am, and off-premise retailers permitted to sell between 6 am and midnight. Additionally, Vermont has no dry counties, but it does have 4 dry towns where alcohol cannot be purchased.

In Wisconsin, the retail sale of liquor and wine is prohibited between 9 pm and 6 am, and beer sales are not allowed between midnight and 6 am. Local municipalities can further restrict these hours, and some, like the city of Sparta and the village of Ephraim, prohibit the retail sale of alcohol entirely.

The number of regulations imposed on the beer industry also varies by state. For instance, South Dakota has 1,177 regulations, while California has 25,870. These regulations can greatly impact the ease of doing business for breweries and other companies in the beer industry.

Furthermore, some states allow minors to consume alcohol in certain circumstances. For example, in Tennessee and Washington, minors are permitted to drink for religious purposes, while other states like Oregon and New York allow minors to drink on private non-alcohol-selling premises.

Beer can be purchased online

If you're looking for speedy local delivery, you can use apps such as MiniBar, Uber Eats, Drizly, or Saucey, which will pick up your order from a local shop and bring it to you, usually within an hour. These services are ideal if you want beer in a hurry or don't want to leave your house. However, they may have surcharges and the selection can sometimes be limited in certain areas.

For a wider selection, you can try online retailers such as FreshDirect, Craft City, or Craft Shack, which offer a range of domestic and craft beers. These options may have longer delivery times, but they can be a good choice if you're looking for something specific or want to buy in bulk.

There are also subscription-based clubs, such as Beer of the Month Club, Tavour, and Craft Beer Kings, which are great if you want to try new beers or get a steady stream of craft beers delivered to your door.

When buying alcohol online, remember that you must be 21 or older to purchase, and an adult will need to be present to sign for the package upon delivery.

Beer can be delivered to your doorstep

Some apps and websites work with breweries and then ship beer directly to customers. Others pick up beer at local bottle shops and deliver it to your doorstep.

• Untappd Shop: The world's largest social media craft beer networking app, with over 11 million fans worldwide, recently launched its own e-commerce platform. It offers exclusive bundles in small quantities that don't usually last long.
• Oznr: Breweries can release new offerings digitally and build excitement through pre-sales, waitlists, and raffles. Breweries can also offer brewery bottle societies and membership clubs.
• CraftShack: An online marketplace that services orders between customers and smaller, craft-centric bottle shops.
• Brewvana: An online beer box and homebrew supply retailer that sends its team out to find craft beer gems in all corners of America. Its subscription beer club visits a new American city each month, where Brewvana's beer nerds hand-select local brews to send to members.
• Half Time: The ultimate virtual bottle shop, offering one of the largest selections of beer and cider around. After browsing through their options, you can order as little as a single can of beer or as much as a case right to your door.
• Tavour: A subscription service that lets customers fill up their box over time before shipping out the full package. Tavour is great for experimentation without leaving the house, but you have to order by the box, not individually.
• Craft Beer Kings: One of the best sites for buying hype beers from breweries across the country. You can also craft your own monthly subscription boxes across a variety of styles.
• Best Damn Beer Shop: A brick-and-mortar retail store based in San Diego, meaning locals can order online and pick up their beer on the same day. Those living out of state can shop on the BDBS online store.

So, if you're craving a beer but don't want to leave the house, there are plenty of options to get beer delivered straight to your doorstep!

Beer can be bought at bars, restaurants, and breweries

Bars and restaurants typically purchase beer from wholesalers, distributors, or directly from breweries. In some cases, they may be able to buy beer from retail stores, although this may be illegal in certain jurisdictions. It's important to note that each state or province may have its own laws and regulations regarding the distribution and sale of alcohol. For example, in Ontario, Canada, bars can buy bottles or cans directly from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario), which is a government-owned entity, and serve them to the public.

Breweries may sell beer directly to bars, restaurants, or consumers, depending on the licensing and distribution regulations in their region. Some breweries have restrictions on their licenses that limit the sale of packaged beer to products made under their own license. Additionally, some breweries may choose to distribute their products through select bars and restaurants as part of their business strategy.

It's worth noting that the sale of alcohol, including beer, is subject to local laws and regulations, which can vary significantly across different regions. These regulations may include restrictions on the operating hours of bars and restaurants, the types of establishments allowed to sell alcohol, and the minimum drinking age.

Beer can be bought at liquor and grocery stores

In addition to time restrictions, some states have different types of licenses that dictate what types of alcohol can be sold and when. For instance, in Ohio, a liquor store may have a different license that allows sales of non-diluted liquor and Sunday sales, whereas a convenience store or gas station might not have this license and therefore can only sell beer.

It's important to note that the laws regarding alcohol sales are constantly evolving, and some states may have updated their regulations since the information was last published. Therefore, it's always a good idea to check the most recent local and state laws before purchasing or consuming alcohol.

Frequently asked questions