State Laws on Buying Alcohol

In the U.S. we had Prohibition. At the end of that failed experiment, the states were given control over alcohol. That led to some really diverse laws. About the only thing that's consistent is that you must be 21 to purchase alcohol, and you can't drink and drive. Even those rules weren't always the same in all states.

There are state-by-state exceptions to consumption with the 21 age for purchase, usually it's for religious reasons, medical reasons, or if you are in a class where part of the curriculum is tasting alcohol, such as an oenology or brewing class. In Alaska parents can give their kids a drink.

 
You'll want to click on the maps to enlarge for readability.

The old blue laws that dictated what you could do on Sunday are mostly gone, but some states or counties still dictate what you can buy on the Christian day of worship. MS, NC, TX and UT close liquor stores on Sunday.

Some states allow you to buy at your local grocery store, others have liquor stores. Here's what you can buy at the grocery. It might be just beer, or beer and wine, or spirits, too. Twenty-one states allow the sale of the hard stuff outside of liquor stores.

Some states don't allow after work discounts, aka Happy Hour. These spoil sports are AK, IN, MA, NC, OK, RI, UT, VT.

Utah deserves special mention for their obsession with control over people's drinking habits. Up until four years ago, beer sold in groceries or bars could be no more than 3.2% alcohol. They've upped it to 5% now! Higher alcohol beers can be found in liquor stores. There are also strict limits on the amount of alcohol that can go into a mixed drink. You cannot buy those little mini bottles like you find on airplanes. Shipping wine to your home is a felony. Really?

In contrast, FL, LA, MS, TX allow drive through cocktail purchases. You are supposed to keep the lid in place with no straw protruding while driving. This custom started in LA because New Orleans is the cocktail party town. During the Pandemic, there were other places allowing drive-thru cocktails; as far as I know that's ended.

Source: yahoo.finance.com