New Texas Alcohol Law Delivers Beer & Wine Enthusiasts New Reason to Cheers

Ordering delivery from your favorite Texas restaurant tonight? Well, now, you can add beer and wine to the order if you’re 21 or older.

Thanks to Senate Bill (SB) 1232, the new Texas alcohol delivery law lets establishments with a beer and wine retailer’s license to deliver these alcoholic beverages to of-age customers.

This means that about 10,000 beer and wine permit holders in Texas will be able to make alcohol deliveries as of September 1^st. This includes an array of establishments, from the local liquor stores and coffee shops to neighborhood pubs and high-end restaurants.

How the New Texas Alcohol Delivery Law Works

Texans who are at least 21 years old can now legally:

• Take beer from a brewery: Prior to the new law, Texans could take home a bottle of hard alcohol from a distillery or a wine from vineyards, but not beer from breweries.
• Order beer and/or wine to be delivered to their homes as long as the order includes food: In these cases, the delivery driver must be 21 years old.

As part of the new alcohol delivery law, retailers are also legally allowed to contract delivery services out to third parties, like Amazon.

A similar law, SB 1480, also takes effect on September 1^st. It allows retailers holding valid mixed beverage licenses to deliver alcoholic beverages, as part of food orders, as long as:

• The beverage is in a pre-packed container that was sealed by the manufacturer.
• The container is a single serving, equivalent to one beverage. Specifically, this means each container should be limited to 375 milliliters.

Alcohol Delivery Law Has Widespread Support

Breweries, restaurants, and other food and beverage retailers from across the state are thrilled about this new law, seeing it as a convenient way to make customers happy while increasing sales. Supporters also see the new law as a way to:

• Spread Texas’ local brew culture: Out-of-state visitors can take Texas brews back home, sharing them with loved ones and providing more exposure for Texas’ thriving beer and brewing culture.
• Potentially boost tourism: As out-of-staters gain access to Texas beer, some may be enticed to visit the state, increasing tourism and related revenue.

Critics Voice Concerns

Not everyone is happy with the new Texas alcohol delivery law, however. Some critics have argued that making alcohol more accessible could present new risks or challenges that haven’t been considered. At this point, that remains to be seen.

Undaunted by critics, Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 1232 into law on June 4, 2019. At the time, he tweeted an update about the new law and encouraged Texans to “enjoy responsibly.”

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