Maryland's Best Beer: Where To Buy Your Favorite Brews

Maryland has some unique laws regarding the sale of alcohol. If you want to buy beer in Maryland, you will need to make a special trip to a dedicated store as current law prohibits sales at most chain stores. This is due to a 1978 statewide prohibition, although a handful of grandfathered-in chains are among the exceptions. Maryland is one of the last states in the US that prohibits the purchase of beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores. However, there are some proposed changes to the law that would allow voters to choose whether grocery stores could start selling beer and wine.

Beer in grocery stores

Maryland is one of the few states in the U.S. that prohibits the purchase of beer and wine in grocery stores. A 1978 law explicitly denies alcohol licenses to chain and discount stores and limits licenses to Maryland residents, who can only hold one license. This law also applies to wholesale clubs like Costco, BJ's, and Sam's Club.

However, some stores were grandfathered into the 1978 law, including a handful of grocery chains in Montgomery County, such as Giant Food, Safeway, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, Magruder's, Bestway Supermercado, and 7-Eleven. These stores are allowed to have one location that sells beer and wine in the county, and the licenses can be transferred to other locations in the county with approval. Additionally, each grocery store chain in Prince George's County may choose one of its locations in the county to sell beer and wine.

There have been efforts to change the law and allow grocery stores to sell beer and wine. In 2021, Maryland Senate Bill 763 and House Bill 996 were proposed to expand licensing for beer and wine sales in food retail stores. The bills did not pass, but similar legislation may be introduced in the future.

The Maryland Retailers Association and other proponents of reforming the state's beverage alcohol laws argue that allowing grocery stores to sell beer and wine would provide more convenience and choices for consumers. They also point out that most other states in the country allow grocery stores to sell alcohol.

On the other hand, critics argue that allowing grocery stores to sell beer and wine could negatively impact small liquor stores. However, the Maryland Retailers Association counters that similar laws in other states have not hurt small liquor stores, and local liquor stores would still have a monopoly on hard liquor sales.

Buying beer online

Maryland has some complicated laws regarding the purchase of beer. It is one of the few states that prohibits the purchase of beer and wine in grocery stores, wholesale clubs, pharmacies, and convenience stores. This is due to a 1978 law that explicitly denies alcohol licenses to chain and discount stores and limits licenses to Maryland residents, who can only hold one license.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. A handful of chain stores were grandfathered into the law and are permitted to sell alcohol, including about 30 locations of wholesale clubs like Costco, BJ's, and Sam's Club. Additionally, some counties in Maryland have implemented their own regulations that allow for the sale of beer and wine in grocery stores. For example, in Montgomery County, four grocery stores were permitted to sell beer and wine: Magruder's, Balducci's, Rodman's, and Roots Market in Olney.

While you cannot buy beer at most chain stores in Maryland, there are other options for purchasing beer, including online delivery services and local liquor stores. Online grocery delivery services like Instacart offer same-day alcohol delivery in Maryland, connecting you with a personal shopper in your area. Local stand-alone liquor stores can also offer beer and wine delivery to Maryland residents through websites like Drizly, although this is subject to county regulations and restrictions.

Maryland residents who wish to purchase beer and wine in grocery stores can support proposed changes to the current laws. State Senate Bill 763 and House Bill 996, which sought to expand licensing for beer and wine sales in food retail stores, did not pass in 2021 but may be proposed again in the future. With increasing support for this change among Marylanders, there is a possibility that the state's alcohol laws will be updated to provide more convenience and choices for consumers.

Beer in convenience stores

Maryland's alcohol laws are a little different from those in other states. The state is one of the last in the US that prohibits the sale of beer and wine in chain grocery, wholesale, pharmacy, and convenience stores. This is due to a 1978 law that explicitly denies alcohol licenses to chain and discount stores and limits licenses to Maryland residents, who can only hold one license.

However, there are some exceptions to the rule. A handful of stores were grandfathered into the 1978 law, including certain grocery stores in Montgomery County. These include the Giant grocery store in White Oak, Silver Spring, and Lanham; Safeway in Olney; Shoppers in Germantown and College Park; Magruder's in Gaithersburg; Bestway Supermercado in Silver Spring; Snider's Foods in Silver Spring; and 7-Eleven in Aspen Hill. These stores are allowed to sell beer and wine from one location in Montgomery County, and the licenses can be transferred to other locations in the county with approval from the Board of License Commissioners.

In Prince George's County, each grocery store chain may choose one of its locations in the county to sell beer and wine, but beer, wine, and spirits can also be bought at liquor and convenience stores.

There have been several attempts to change the law to allow beer and wine sales in more stores. Maryland House Bill 996 sought to make beer and wine available at gas stations and convenience stores that met specific food standards, but it did not pass. More recently, Senate Bill 763 and House Bill 966, which would allow grocery and discount stores to sell beer and wine, were proposed in 2021. The bills are supported by the Maryland Retailers Association, which argues that similar laws in other states have not impacted small liquor stores. However, critics argue that allowing grocery stores to sell beer and wine would hurt small, local liquor stores. The fate of these bills remains to be seen, but they represent a potential shift in Maryland's alcohol laws.

Beer in gas stations

Maryland has some of the strictest laws in the U.S. when it comes to buying beer and wine. It is one of the last states to prohibit the purchase of beer and wine in grocery stores and one of only four states that restricts buying beer at gas stations.

Maryland delegates the rule-making for alcohol sales to each of its 24 counties, which means there are numerous and complicated laws in place. For example, in Montgomery County, off-premise liquor sales may only be conducted at county-owned and operated stores. However, beer and wine sales can be made by licensed retail accounts, including four grocery stores that were grandfathered in after the state law changed. In Prince George's County, each grocery store chain may choose one of its locations in the county to sell beer and wine, but beer, wine, and spirits can only be bought at liquor stores and convenience stores.

In 2021, State Senate Bill 763 and House Bill 996 sought to change the law to allow expanded licensing for beer and wine sales in food retail stores, including gas stations, but the bill did not pass.

Despite the strict laws, there are some gas stations in Maryland that do sell beer and wine. For example, there is a gas station behind Greenbelt Plaza in PG County that sells beer, and some gas stations in Harford County and Queen Anne's County that sell beer and wine. In Wicomico County, gas stations are also able to sell beer and wine.

Beer on Sundays

Beer is available on Sundays in Maryland, but the specific rules vary by county. Some counties restrict alcohol sales on Sundays or shorten the hours permitted to sell it. For example, Baltimore and Prince George's counties do not allow beer and wine retail sales on Sundays.

In Montgomery County, alcohol sales are permitted on Sundays from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. in retail establishments, and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. in bars and restaurants. On Fridays and Saturdays, bars and restaurants can serve alcohol until 2:00 a.m.

In Prince George's County, retail establishments can sell alcohol from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on weekdays, and bars and restaurants can serve from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. However, retail sales are forbidden on Sundays, although bars and restaurants can still serve alcohol.

Privately owned retailers, bars, and restaurants in Maryland can sell beer from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. every day, although some counties enforce stricter laws and may close earlier.

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