Goughnour introduces legislation for pre-mixed cocktails on tap

It received unanimous approval from the House Liquor Control Committee.

Last week, state Rep. Dan Goughnour introduced legislation that would allow for pre-mixed cocktails on tap.

Pennsylvania law currently does not permit restaurants and bars to store pre-mixed cocktails, such as margaritas or mojitos, for more than 24 hours. Goughnour has introduced legislation that would change that for businesses.

“Licensees simply add the alcohol and place the sealed keg on a tap system, just like beer,” Goughnour wrote in a memo. “The product is in a sealed and enclosed container, which allows it to have a much longer and safer storage life. Unfortunately, these products still fall under the current 24hour disposal law and therefore are not available to Pennsylvania’s licensees.”

HB 1702 would define a pre-mixed cocktail and allow businesses to include it in their selection of alcoholic beverages. According to Goughnour, 36 other states already permit these kegs, which are widely visible on tap in sports venues and public arenas nationwide.

The bill defines the premixed cocktail as “a beverage prepared on the licensed premises of a retail liquor licensee, in which a nonalcoholic cocktail base, consisting of juices, syrups, bitters, carbonated or noncarbonated water or other flavorings, is combined with liquor in a sealed keg or similar container for the purpose of dispensing cocktails for on premises consumption using a gas-driven system.”

The bill has 11 co-sponsors, with a mix of Democrats and Republicans. It passed through the House Liquor Control Committee July 9 in a unanimous vote.

The proposed legislation follows last year’s implementation of a law that allows Pennsylvanians to purchase canned alcoholic drinks, called ready-to-drink cocktails, from more businesses. Under the previous law, only state-owned liquor stores could sell the canned cocktail drinks.

Ready-to-drink beverages or canned cocktails have seen major growth in recent years, with consumption rising by 43% in 2020.