Where's the beer? (Lancaster, Harrisburg, Lewisburg: sale, credit card, home)

[sithlord72]

Hey ...just came home from Lancaster, PA.. ( love it there...great place and great people)....however as i enjoyed my week there I was a little thirsty for suds...

Ok Ok i can understand why the grocery stores or 24 hr conveinence stores wont sell beer/alcohol....but why can't I just go into a beer distributor and buy one beer?

The guy said that in Pennsylvania only cases can be sold....is there a possibility that may change? I m ean if i moved there i could certainly deal with it....just curious....

[Ohiogirl81]

Why is the sky blue ... *sigh*

[sithlord72]

Coming from Ohio...why should I expect no less...sheesh..cant even answer a simple question....

[bradjl2009]

You can go to bars, restaurants, and a few supermarkets that have the separate areas 6 packs of beer.

[greg42]

PA wacko beer laws:

Distributors don't have that name for nothing. They are only allowed to sell keg quantities (and fractional kegs) and full cases of at least 24 bottles/cans.

This is mainly thanks to the power of the tavern lobby. They want to ensure that the only place to sell small quantities of beer like a 6-pack are bars, where they can generally rip you off for a lame selection.

There has been some push back with the cafe-type licenses. One is the rise in some areas of what is known as a "bottle shop". Though these places have a cafe-type license allowing them to sell beer and requiring them to sell prepared food (often hot dogs and the like), they're mainly set up as a beer store. You can buy singles sometimes at least of larger bottles or in one of the more interesting twists you can usually mix and match a 6-pack of just about any beers in the place. Or buy a regular 6. Or two. (I think you still can't buy more than two 6-packs at a time, without going out and coming back in, LOL.) The other is although challenged it was upheld that supermarkets could acquire and use this type of license so long as they had a separate area and checkout for the beer. So some branches of large supermarkets like Wegmans and Giant Eagle have beer sections where you can get a 6-pack.

Neither of these makes the beer very cheap though; the supermarket effect is usually cheapest, but it's still typically more to get a 6 than other states. On case quantities at distributors, the price is more competitive.

[RSFMomma]

You need to find a 6-Pack store. Usually they double as sub (hoagie) shops. They cost less than a bar, but more (when you break it down) than a distributor.

Like Greg42 said, some of the larger grocery stores sell beer, but that's only because they market it as part of their "dining" experience-- ie, if they have a restaurant area, they can get a liquor license because of that. Wegman's and *some* of the Weis Markets have beer (or at least the one in Lewisburg used to sell beer), and I know some of the Sheetz convenience stores used to also, but I don't know if they still do-- there was some controversy over it.

I don't see it changing. It should. But I doubt it. Let me just add, we moved to Utah a few months ago, and the non-alcoholic drink selections in the convenience stores stink because they have to make room for the beer. I never realized how many drink choices we had in PA until we left, haha!

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by RSFMomma

Let me just add, we moved to Utah a few months ago, and the non-alcoholic drink selections in the convenience stores stink because they have to make room for the beer. I never realized how many drink choices we had in PA until we left, haha!

Utah is about the only place where things are worse than in Pennsylvania. And even Utah, from what I've read, is loosening up a bit.

[Gil3]

Originally Posted by sithlord72

Hey ...just came home from Lancaster, PA.. ( love it there...great place and great people)....however as i enjoyed my week there I was a little thirsty for suds...

Ok Ok i can understand why the grocery stores or 24 hr conveinence stores wont sell beer/alcohol....but why can't I just go into a beer distributor and buy one beer?

The guy said that in Pennsylvania only cases can be sold....is there a possibility that may change? I m ean if i moved there i could certainly deal with it....just curious....

I wondered the same thing when I moved here over 20 years ago from a state where I could virtually get a six pack almost anywhere. Like most things, you just simply adapt to the situation and deal with it.

Right now, proposals are underway to end the archaic beer laws and to privatize spirit and wine sales. However, the ultimate decisions will be made in Harrisburg, and we all know that this could take a long, long time.

As mentioned by another poster, the six pack stores or "Quick 6" in my area are places you can get singles, and a decent selection of crafts and imports as well. These tend to be a bit more expensive, IMO.

Ironically, we have a wealth of breweries here in the state, especially in the Eastern part (Yeungling, Stoudt's, Troegs, Victory, Yards, etc) but some of, if not the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding the actual sale of beer.

[teachbeach]

Yep, we are unique in our laws...hopefully they'll come in to the 21st century and out of controlling prohibition soon.

There are a number of great places to get beers in Lancaster, you just have to know where they are being served, or being sold in small amounts. You'll pay more, but unless you are near a Wegmans, being able to get beer in a drug store, convenience store or grocery store in this state is still a far off dream/fight.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

The legislature currently wants to privatize the liquor system ... by creating a new corporation and requiring all retailers to purchase ONLY from that wholesaler. There are other proposals on the table, but they go downhill from there. At any rate, the other posters have hit the nail on the head. Our liquor laws are ridiculous. Having an out-of-state guest stay over here in Pennsylvania usually means having the following conversation:

Guest: "Hey man. I'm running out for some beer. Where's the nearest gas station?"

Me: Right around the corner, three blocks over on Fifth. But if you want beer, you'll want to walk two blocks down Second Street to the nearest bar.

"Oh, it's cheaper there?"

Well, no. Not really. It's not cheaper, it's just that you can't buy beer at gas stations here. You have to go to a bar.

"Weird. Well, I'm gonna go pick up a case of Full Sail. See you in a few."

Actually, that won't work either.

"Seriously?"

Yeah. A bar can only sell by the six-pack.

"So what do I have to do to get a case of beer around here?"

You'll want to get in your car and drive about 10 minutes to a distributor. Try Westy's. They have a pretty good selection.

"Okay, cool. I'll pick up a case of Full Sail and a six-pack of Troegs while I'm there. Always wanted to try them, but I don't know if I'd like it enough to get a case."

Well, no. See, a bar can sell six-packs, but not cases. For beer by the case, you have to go to the distributor. And the distributor can't sell beer by the six-pack, only by the case. For a six-pack, you have to go to a bar.

"You are kidding me."

Don't I wish. So what you'll want to do is drive to the distributor to get the case, then stop at a bar on the way back for your six pack.

"This is getting really complicated. Where do I pick up the wine -- the distributor, or the bar?"

Neither.

"..."

Yeah. If you want to add wine, first you'll stop off at the distributor to buy your case of beer. Then you'll hit a bar to pick up your six-pack of Troegs. Then you'll stop by the supermarket, walk up to the automated wine vending machine, swipe your credit card, wait for an operator to pick up, hold your ID up to the camera, confirm your identity, take a breath test, hope the bottle doesn't jam or shatter on the way down, and pay some serious markup.

"This is stupid. I'm just going to get some vodka. Tell me I don't have to use the kiosks for liquor, too!"

No, you don't.

"But I take it your convenience stores don't sell liquor either."

Correct.

"So where do I go for vodka? The bar, the distributor, or the supermarket?"

None of the above. You'll have to go to a state store.

"You have got to be kidding."

No. First you'll need to go to the distributor to buy your case. Then you'll need to drive to the nearest bar for your six-pack. Then you'll need to drive to the nearest state store for your liquor. There's good news, though.

"Oh?"

The state stores also sell wine, so if you're already doing all that, you can skip the kiosk.

"I hate Pennsylvania."