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Monday, October 26, 2009

Why they call it the Pennsylvania Liquor CONTROL Board

I got a response from the PLCB today to a question I asked two weeks ago: what's the proper protocol for a private citizen to bring a bottle of wine into the Commonwealth from another state?

The answer? "...there is no proper protocol for crossing the border to purchase wine in another state and then bring it back to Pennsylvania."

See it all, and my reaction, here.

10 comments:

Bill said...

Lew, send me an email and I'll meet you at State Line or Total Wine where I will gift you all the booze you want if you gift me the cost of said booze. Or just buy the wine, toss the receipt and say it was a gift, I'll vouch for you.

Must admit PA has the most asinine system, makes me wonder why you can get so many great beers not available in other nearby states.

bill mc said...

My god, I bring beer to my parents from NY state all the time since its CHEAPER and all this time I've been a common scofflaw, I guess I should be ashamed...but I'm not.

PLCB can kiss my tookus.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV said...

You know, if someone wanted to get all testy about it, I think the proper reciprocity should be for other states to ban the importation of booze from Pennsylvania. So long, wineries, Yuengling, Victory, et al.

Tim Hyland said...

Outstanding job on this, Lew. That letter was pure entertainment.

Lew Bryson said...

Well, no, Sandy, you're talking about individual citizens buying from individual retailers. The wholesalers who bring other states' wines and beers in ARE licensed.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV said...

Oh? But what if I buy a growler of beer from a brewpub? Or buy wines from a winery in Pennsylvania?

Chris said...

Discussion of the 21st Amendment and the powers of the PLCB aside, I recommend purchasing what you want in another state and driving back home with it. Who's going to know?

Lew Bryson said...

Well, then you'd be talking about other states outlawing growlers brought in from PA. Is there a lot of that? Or traffic in PA wines? I'm not thinking so...
I mean, if you want to do that yourself, go nuts. But you might want to check and see if other states' laws about this are just as draconian first. This kind of interstate trade war is exactly what the commerce clause is supposed to prevent...and the 21st Amendment trumps it.

Bryan Cain said...

I wonder is one is allowed to pass through the state with alcohol purchased out of state? Say I wanted to bring some Virginia beer to family in NY...

Lew Bryson said...

Bryan,
The response did specifically say that "transporting" such booze was indeed not allowed. So yeah, even transit through the state -- no matter whether you consume, or even stop, apparently -- is proscribed. Friendly!