UPDATE: New Beer Sales Rules Go Into Effect Tuesday

Editor's note: A Patch story published Wednesday incorrectly stated the state's new beer sales law would go into effect Saturday. It will go into effect Tuesday, Jan. 17. The Act, passed on Nov. 15, had a 60-day effective period, which would have been Jan. 14. However, in Pennsylvania, new laws can’t become effective over a weekend or on a holiday. Patch regrets the error.

New rules surrounding beer sales in Pennsylvania go into effect Tuesday

Starting Jan. 17, beer distributors will be permitted to sell six-packs and refillable growlers. The aim of the law, signed in November, is to improve customer convenience, Gov. Tom Wolf has said.

In addition to permitting the sale of six-packs and growlers at distributors, the new law will result in expanded hours, direct shipment of beer and other changes.

Here's what the new law going into effect Tuesday will do:

• Allow distributor licensees to sell malt or brewed beverages in any amount to an unlicensed customer for off-premises consumption. The sales do not need to be in the manufacturer’s original configuration and can be sold in refillable growlers that can be resealed.
• Allow retail licensees to start selling on Sundays at 9 a.m. instead of 11 a.m.
• Permit a person licensed by another state to apply for a “malt or brewed beverage shipper license,” which allows the direct shipment of 192 fluid ounces of beer to be delivered to a customer per month; however, only 96 fluid ounces of a specific brand of beer may be shipped per year to an adult resident.
• Allow beer and liquor to be sold (in shatterproof containers) before, during and after professional and amateur athletic events and consumed outside the club seating and restaurant area, as can be done at performing arts events or other entertainment events.
• Clarifies that a brewery does not need a brewery pub license to sell the products of other licensed breweries, limited wineries, limited distilleries and distilleries.

“Pennsylvanians have waited decades to bring their beer and liquor systems into the 21st century,” Wolf said in a statement when signing the bill in November.

The ability to purchase six-packs at distributors is one of several changes to the laws governing alcohol sales in Pennsylvania in recent months. In March 2015, beer distributors received permission to sell 12-packs of beer. Prior to that, beer was sold only by the case at Pennsylvania distributors.

In May 2016, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board approved licenses allowing gas stations to sell beer.

And it's not just beer that has become more convenient to buy in the Keystone State. In August, a new law permitting approved grocery stores to sell wine went into effect.

Patch file photo