The Best Beer-Buying Spots In Connecticut

If you're looking to buy beer in Connecticut, you'll be able to find it in grocery and convenience stores. You can also order beer online and get it delivered to your door in under 60 minutes. Beer is available for purchase from Monday to Saturday, from 8 am to 10 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm. However, it's important to note that alcohol cannot be sold on certain holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Connecticut has a minimum price law for wine and spirits, which results in higher alcohol prices compared to neighbouring states.

Beer in grocery stores

Beer in Connecticut is available for purchase in grocery and convenience stores. Grocery stores are classified as off-premise sellers, meaning the beer purchased there is intended to be consumed elsewhere. As a result, beer can only be sold in sealed containers.

Grocery stores can sell beer 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.

However, beer cannot be sold in grocery stores on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day.

In addition to grocery stores, beer is also available for purchase in package stores, bars, and restaurants. Package stores sell wine and distilled spirits in addition to beer, and they follow the same hours as grocery stores for selling alcohol. Bars and restaurants are on-premise sellers, meaning the alcohol they sell is intended for consumption on the premises. They are allowed to sell alcohol during the following hours:

• Monday to Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
• Friday and Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
• Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

Bars and restaurants can also sell sealed containers of draught beer (growlers) for off-site consumption, but they are limited to selling no more than four litres per person per day.

Restaurants and bars

On New Year's Day, the cutoff point is extended to 3 a.m. Local zoning rules may also create stricter limits for on-premise sales.

Both bars and restaurants can sell draft, bottled, and various liquors and spirits for on-site consumption. They can also sell draft beer for off-site consumption in growlers, which are sealed containers of draught beer. However, they may not sell more than four litres per person per day.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants were permitted to include alcohol as part of a delivery or curbside pickup order. The alcohol must be sealed unless purchasing a growler, and the order must include food.

Package stores

The specific hours that a package store can sell alcohol may vary depending on the town and local zoning rules. For example, some towns may impose more restrictive hour limits, while others may allow sales until 2 am on weekdays as well. Therefore, it is always a good idea to check the local laws and the hours of the specific package store before planning a purchase.

In addition to package stores, beer can also be purchased at grocery and convenience stores in Connecticut. These stores typically have more limited hours for alcohol sales, usually from 9 am to 1 am, Monday to Saturday, and 10 am to 2 am on Sundays. Again, it is important to note that grocery stores are prohibited from selling beer on certain holidays, like Christmas and New Year's Day.

There has been a recent bill proposed in the Connecticut Legislature, HB6101, that would allow big-box stores to sell beer. This has sparked opposition from hundreds of package and convenience stores, which argue that the bill would hurt their businesses. The outcome of this proposed bill remains to be seen and may impact the landscape of beer sales in Connecticut.

On-premise and off-premise sales

For on-premise sales in Connecticut, alcohol can be served from 9 am to 1 am, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 2 am on Saturdays, and 10 am to 2 am on Sundays. 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, in which case the regular hourly restrictions apply.

Bars fall under the on-premise category and must abide by the same hours as mentioned above. The latest a bar can stay open is 1 am, Monday through Friday, and 2 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Off-premise sales in Connecticut are permitted from 8 am to 10 pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays. Off-premise sales are prohibited on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Grocery stores can sell beer during the hours mentioned above for off-premise sales. However, they can only sell beer and only in sealed containers. Liquor and package stores can sell beer, wine, and liquor during the same off-premise hours.

It is important to note that individual towns in Connecticut may set more restrictive hours for both on-premise and off-premise sales, and public health guidelines can also impact the sale hours.

Alcohol delivery

If you're looking to buy beer in Connecticut, you can do so at grocery and convenience stores. If you're looking for wine or spirits, you'll need to head to a retail package store. You can also buy alcohol at bars and restaurants, which serve alcohol from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday to Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Connecticut has strict laws around alcohol sales, and you won't be able to buy alcohol anywhere on Sundays or holidays. The state also has a minimum drinking age of 21, although only 18 to serve alcohol in a restaurant or work as a bartender.

If you don't fancy heading out to the store, you can get alcohol delivered right to your door in Connecticut. Minibar Delivery offers wine, liquor, beer, and more, delivered in 30-60 minutes. Instacart also offers alcohol delivery or pickup in Connecticut, with orders typically arriving on the same day. You can also try Drizly, which offers on-demand delivery of beer, wine, and liquor in under 60 minutes.

When ordering alcohol delivery in Connecticut, you'll need to have your ID ready to be scanned by the delivery driver, as the minimum drinking age is 21.

Frequently asked questions