# Educate me on Pennsylvania's liquor laws **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738 "2006-03-24T16:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/41 "2006-03-27T13:40:49Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Really? I’ve lived in this state since 1979 (when I was 3) and I’ve never, ever seen beer sold at a state store. Hmm…maybe I should have called it something else, but I don’t know what. It was specifically licensed to sell beer. I don’t recall if It had lard liquor. ??? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/42 "2006-03-27T15:29:46Z")
> [@LiveOnAPlane](#): > > Hmm…maybe I should have called it something else, but I don’t know what. > > It was specifically licensed to sell beer. I don’t recall if It had lard liquor. ??? If you could only buy it by the case (or keg, possibly), it was a “beverage distributor” or “beer distributor”, as already discussed. It has a state license, of course, but it’s a private business. The PA state stores are owned and operated by the state, not just state licensed. The employees get paid by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/43 "2006-03-27T15:31:55Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > From the Wikipedia article, it looks like New Hampshire, too: > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol\_laws\_of\_the\_United\_States\_by\_state](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_laws_of_the_United_States_by_state) NH. Bars/resturants sell in house only. State liquor stores are the only ones that sell liquor (and have lousy hours, but great prices). Nearly any store can sell beer/wine (grocery stores, convience stores, etc…) Pretty simple really, but I do miss the (and it’s the ONLY thing I miss about MA) “one stop shopping” just south of the border, in the Peoples Republic of MA. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/44 "2006-03-27T16:45:58Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > The 1950s!! How the hell could that law still be enforced in the 1950s!? 😕 Or did landowners just refuse to sell to Jews? Until the 50s, the courts, including SCOTUS consistently ruled such “restrictive covenants” in deeds enforceable. Essentially, you could do what you liked with your own property, including writing a deed that said no subsequent owner could be Jewish (or black or Irish, whatever you wanted). In buying the property a subsequent owner accepted the provisions of the lease and was bound by them. Similarly, if there was an easement it had to mentioned in the deed (if it wasn’t, then that’s where the title insurance company got involved) and was similarly binding on the buyer. Eventually a more liberal SCOTUS declared that these covenants could not be enforced in court. How many people think the current supreme court would make such a holding? They won’t overturn it, but probably think it was erroneous. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/45 "2006-03-27T17:03:17Z")
> [@LiveOnAPlane](#): > > Hmm…maybe I should have called it something else, but I don’t know what. > > It was specifically licensed to sell beer. I don’t recall if It had lard liquor. ??? A state store sells liquor and wine. A beer distributor is a privately owned, state licensed business that sells beer, but only by the case. That might be what you meant. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/46 "2006-03-27T17:24:44Z")
Wait, where do six-pack shops come into this? I know we have them here in PA (there’s one a block away from me right now). They’re not selling by the case, and they’re not a bar (there’s no place to sit and drink in there, that I’ve seen). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/47 "2006-03-27T17:42:31Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Wait, where do six-pack shops come into this? I know we have them here in PA (there’s one a block away from me right now). They’re not selling by the case, and they’re not a bar (there’s no place to sit and drink in there, that I’ve seen). If it hasn’t changed since I grew up there, they also serve food in some form, so they can get an “eating place” license. Is it attached to some sort of deli operation? The PA license types: > **[Pennsylvania State Police homepage](https://www.psp.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx)** > > Explore the Pennsylvania State Police website. According to that, an “e” license requires at least 300 sq ft and seating for 30. That really isn’t very hard to nominally satisfy. The “e” licensee can sell up to 192 oz. of beer for takeout in the original packaging. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/48 "2006-03-27T17:50:20Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > If it hasn’t changed since I grew up there, they also serve food in some form, so they can get an “eating place” license. Is it attached to some sort of deli operation? > > The PA license types: > > [Pennsylvania State Police HOME](http://www.psp.state.pa.us/blce/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=125121) > > According to that, an “e” license requires at least 300 sq ft and seating for 30. That really isn’t very hard to nominally satisfy. The “e” licensee can sell up to 192 oz. of beer for takeout in the original packaging. Ah, yes. It’s a sub shop as well. I hadn’t connected the two. ---
**Author:** ![WishIHadACoolName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WishIHadACoolName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WishIHadACoolName)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738/49 "2006-03-27T23:54:20Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > It comes up often enough: > Search for “yuengling” gives 65 threads (including the “one booze forever” that is currently receiving posts). > For the misspelled “yeungling” gives 27 more (again, including the current “one booze forever” in IMHO). > > Oh, and I just had a Yuengling with dinner tonight, too. Hmm… well, I _am_ quite new around here. And delighted to see that something “homegrown” is so well known. If you’re ever passing through Pottsville PA, turn off Route 61 and take the tour of the brewery. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/educate-me-on-pennsylvanias-liquor-laws/349738.md?page=2)