Liquor restrictions are nothing new in PA
Pennsylvania is a weird place to live, especially when it comes to its liquor. As a PA resident, I’ve had to deal with strange liquor restrictions my whole adult life. Forced to go to run-down state stores with awkward hours of operations (early closures and closed on Sundays) to not being able to purchase beer in supermarkets or convenience stores like Wawa and 7-11, jumping through hurdles was the name of the game. While things have improved in recent years, here we are faced with yet another restriction: this past Friday, September 17, PA Wine & Spirits have started to enforce a 2 bottle per day limit on select spirits.
Deja Vu
When the pandemic went into full swing back in March 2020, Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores closed down across Pennsylvania for a good couple of months. Simultaneously, with a sharp uptick in day-drinking, demand for liquor in the state was at an all-time high. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) was able to pivot rather quickly and offer its customers the ability to buy spirits online. However, it was a crap shoot early on as only a few people could actually access the website due to extremely high search volume. If you were one of the lucky ones to actually reach the website, you were limited to a few bottles per transaction.
Breaks in the supply chain
Now a full year and a half later, PA residents face a similar restriction. According to the PLCB, “sustained supply chain disruptions and product shortages” beyond the state’s control prompted restrictions on certain types of alcohol. As a result, Wine & Spirits has started to enforce a 2 bottle limit on 43 of its most popular offerings. The list may surprise you!
Say it isn’t so, not my champagne and cognac!
Here’s the complete list of 43 items (made up of mostly champagne and cognac):
- 1792 Chocolate Bourbon Ball Cream Liqueur 34 Proof 750 ML
- Baker’s Straight Bourbon Small Batch 107 Proof 750 ML
- Blanton’s Single Barrel Straight Bourbon 750 ML
- Blood Oath Bourbon Trilogy 3 Pack Second Edition 99 Proof 2.25 L
- Bond and Lillard Straight Bourbon 100 Proof 375 ML
- Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 90 Proof 1 L
- Buffalo Trace Straight Bourbon 90 Proof 750 ML
- Buffalo Trace Straight Bourbon 90 Proof 1.75 L
- Colonel E H Taylor Jr Straight Bourbon Small Batch Bottle in Bond 100 Proof 750 ML
- Dom Pérignon Champagne Brut 750 ML
- Don Julio 1942 Tequila Añejo 80 Proof 750 ML
- Don Julio Tequila Blanco 80 Proof 750 ML
- Eagle Rare Single Barrel Straight Bourbon 10 Year Old 750 ML
- Elijah Craig Single Barrel Straight Bourbon 18 Year Old 90 Proof 750 ML
- Hennessy Cognac VS 80 Proof 750 ML
- Hennessy Cognac VS 80 Proof 1 L
- Hennessy Cognac VS 80 Proof 200 ML
- Hennessy Cognac VS 80 Proof 375 ML
- Hennessy Cognac VS 80 Proof 50 ML
- Hennessy Cognac VS 80 Proof 1.75 L
- Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Black Label Tennessee Whiskey 80 Proof 1.75 L
- Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial Champagne 750 ML
- Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial Champagne Rose 750 ML
- Moët & Chandon Impérial Champagne Brut 375 ML
- Moët & Chandon Impérial Champagne Brut 750 ML
- Moët & Chandon Impérial Champagne Brut 1.5 L
- Moët & Chandon Impérial Champagne Brut 187 ML
- Moët & Chandon Impérial Champagne Rosé 750 ML
- Moët & Chandon Impérial Champagne Rosé 187 ML
- Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Champagne 750 ML
- Moët & Chandon Nectar Imperial Champagne Rosé 750 ML
- Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Champagne Rosé 375 ML
- Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Champagne Rosé 187 ML
- Patrón Tequila Silver 80 Proof 750 ML
- Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Old Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof 114 Proof 750 ML
- Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 90 Proof 750 ML
- Veuve Clicquot Champagne Rose 750 ML
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne Brut 1.5 L
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne Brut 750 ML
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne Brut 750 ML
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne Brut 375 ML
- WB Saffell Straight Bourbon 107 Proof 375 ML
- Weller Special Reserve Straight Bourbon 90 Proof 750 ML
The 2 bottle per day limit on the offerings above are not just for single consumers. The restriction also extends to bars, restaurants and other license holders, who obviously tend to buy in bulk. As of right now, the restrictions will remain in place indefinitely.
Circumventing the 2 bottle limit
For most of us 2 bottles a day is more than enough. In fact, none of my favorite brands even made the list. However, for those who are impacted by this restriction, there are obvious ways to circumvent it.
1. Hello New Jersey!
Philly residents can easily hop in their cars and drive to New Jersey. While it’s technically illegal to carry spirits back across PA state-lines, it’s rarely enforced. Not only is liquor cheaper in Jersey, there are a ton more options in the Garden State.
2. Multiple trips to Fine Wine & Good Spirits
The restriction is 2 bottles per day per store. So if you have the time, you can simply make extra trips to Fine Wine & Good Spirits to stock your inventory. This can be done by store hopping throughout the city in a single day or by visiting your local store on consecutive days.
3. Local distilleries exists and they’re quite good
Check out the local distilleries. There are a good number of them within city limits with amazing selections. Listed below are two of my personal favorites!
New Liberty Distillery and Philadelphia Distilling
Early on in the pandemic, my wife and I could not, no matter how often we hit F5, get the Wine & Spirits website to load. So we looked at some local distilleries for our alcohol needs. Two distilleries that stood out to us were New Liberty Distillery and Philadelphia Distilling. We ordered a couple of bottles of Kinsey American Whiskey from New Liberty and some Blue Coat Gin from Philadelphia Distilling. Both places delivered to our front door, and while their liquor was a bit pricey, they were of excellent quality. So, if you’re up for something new, give them a try!
4. Pick up some beer
There are a ton of beer options out there. From light beers like Yards Brewing Co.’s Philly Standard to tasty IPAs such as Funk Brewing’s Lawn Jawn. Also, the PLCB has loosened it’s restrictions on beer in recent years as you can now pick up a 6-pack at your local grocery store or buy half a case at one of Philly’s many beer distributors.
The restrictions are all bark no bite
The new 2 bottle limit by Wine & Spirits and the PLCB is all bark and no bite, at least for the average consumer. For those businesses or liquor connoisseurs that buy in volume, there are still ways to circumvent the new restrictions. The pandemic has messed up supply chains in all industries and the liquor industry is no exception. We as savvy consumers just need to be a bit more creative when stocking up.
What do you think? Does the Wine & Spirits 2 bottle limit impact you in any way? Let us know below!
