Tennessee Beer: Where To Buy And Enjoy

Tennessee has a long history of temperance beliefs and has many dry counties where the sale of alcohol is prohibited. However, in the rest of the state, there are several places where you can buy beer. Grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations may sell beer from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day of the week. Liquor or package stores may sell beer, wine, and spirits from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and must remain closed on Sundays. Additionally, restaurants and bars can serve alcohol by the drink from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 a.m. on Sundays. It is important to note that alcohol sales are prohibited on certain holidays, such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter, and there are strict laws against selling alcohol to minors or those who are already intoxicated.

Grocery stores

It is worth noting that Tennessee has strict alcohol laws, and it is illegal for grocery stores to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 21. The legal drinking age in Tennessee is 21, and it is a criminal offense to use a fake ID to purchase alcohol. The state also prohibits drinking and driving, with penalties including jail time, license revocation, and fines.

In addition to grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations are also allowed to sell beer within the specified hours in Tennessee. On the other hand, liquor or package stores are licensed to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and they must remain closed on Sundays.

Convenience stores

Operating Hours and Days

Variety of Beer Options

While the selection may vary by store, convenience stores generally offer a range of beer options, including domestic and imported brands, craft beers, and even local brews. You can often find a variety of package sizes, such as six-packs, 12-packs, or larger cases, as well as different types of beer like lagers, ales, stouts, and IPAs.

Additional Items

Location and Accessibility

Age Verification and ID Checks

Like any other retailer of alcoholic beverages in Tennessee, convenience stores are required by law to verify the age of customers purchasing beer. Be prepared to show a valid, government-issued ID that includes your photograph and birth date. This is mandatory for anyone who does not appear to be over the age of 50, according to Tennessee state law.

Gas stations

In Tennessee, grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations are all subject to the same rules regarding the sale of beer and wine. Liquor or package stores, on the other hand, are only permitted to sell beer, wine, and spirits from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and they must remain closed on Sundays.

It's worth noting that Tennessee has a long history of temperance beliefs and has many dry counties, where the sale of alcohol is prohibited by default. These counties must pass local option laws to permit the sale of alcohol. As of 2023, there are 14 dry counties in Tennessee.

Additionally, it is illegal to sell alcoholic beverages on certain holidays, including January 1st, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25th.

Liquor stores

In Tennessee, liquor stores are permitted to sell beer, wine, and spirits from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. They are mandated to close on Sundays, as well as on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Additionally, liquor stores in Tennessee are subject to markup requirements for the alcoholic beverages they sell. Wine must be marked up by at least 20%, and other alcoholic beverages like liquor, spirits, and high-gravity beer must be marked up by at least 10%. These markups are calculated by multiplying the per-bottle price on the wholesaler's invoice by 1.2 for wine and 1.1 for other beverages.

It is worth noting that Tennessee has a history of temperance beliefs and has several dry counties where the sale of alcohol is prohibited. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the local laws and regulations regarding alcohol sales in specific counties or municipalities.

Restaurants and bars

Tennessee alcohol laws permit adults aged 18 or older to work as servers or bartenders in venues that sell alcohol for drinking on-site. Employees between the ages of 18 and 20 may never serve drinks in the bar or lounge area, nor can they take food orders in areas prohibited to minors. In areas where minors are permitted, individuals aged 18 to 20 must be primarily employed for food service. However, within the scope of food service, they can take orders for and serve alcohol, pour drinks for patrons at the table, and draw from a tap as long as the tap is not in a restricted area.

To obtain a server permit from the TABC, an individual must:

• Create and complete a server permit application online
• Complete a program of alcohol awareness training for persons involved in the direct service of alcohol, wine, or beer by an entity certified by the commission to have an adequate training curriculum for alcohol awareness. The training program must be at least three and a half hours long.
• Pay the $20 non-refundable application fee

A server permit is valid for five years and must be renewed before expiration.

It is worth noting that Tennessee has many dry counties, where the sale of alcohol is prohibited by default. These counties must pass local option laws to permit the sale of alcohol. As of 2023, there are 14 dry counties in Tennessee.

Frequently asked questions