Wondering how you can still support your favorite local business by purchasing your favorite alcoholic beverage?
The Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement (ABLE) Commission has put together a list of information to help consumers stay up to date on how they can still support local businesses, like breweries, wineries, liquor stores and restaurants, by buying their favorite alcoholic beverages.
“The coronavirus pandemic has upended daily life and created a new reality, at least in the short term,” said Lisette Barnes, president of the Oklahoma Beer Alliance. “Many Oklahoma consumers are looking for ways to keep some normalcy to their lives, and businesses are looking for ways to maintain sales. The mission of the Oklahoma Beer Alliance is to enable Oklahomans to choose the highest quality products without compromise, as well as promote responsible consumption, so we applaud the quick efforts of leadership in our state to adapt to this quickly changing situation.”
The great news is that the ABLE Commission has "extended their temporary emergency authorizations granted to various alcoholic beverage licensees through May 15, 2020," according to a press release.
ABLE has extended the following guidance through May 15:
- Liquor stores may deliver alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine and spirits, to consumers age 21 and over.
- Small brewers and small-farm wineries may deliver alcoholic beverages they produced in sealed original containers to consumers age 21 and over.
- Restaurants, bars and clubs with alcoholic beverage licenses may deliver original sealed packages of only beer, including growlers, and wine to consumers age 21 and over.
- On-premise beer, wine, mixed beverage and caterer/mixed beverage licensees that are primarily Type-2 restaurants, where persons under 21 are allowed to enter, may sell closed original packages of beer, including growlers, and wine in conjunction with curbside pick-up or drive through food sales.
- Grocery and convenience stores holding retail licenses may deliver closed containers of beer or wine to consumers age 21 and over.
- Licensed beer distributors, small brewers or brewpubs may accept the return of original unopened packages of beer products by licensees that will expire or fall outside the manufacturer’s recommended use date during the period of mandated COVID-19-related closure.
ABLE says that although these changes are in place, it is important to know that they are subject to be amended, revoked, or extended as the coronavirus pandemic develops. Also, third party vendures, such as DoorDash and UberEats, are not authorized to deliver alcohol and online payments are restricted at this time.
“We’ve been working closely with the ABLE Commission to ensure Oklahoma establishments are able to adapt to the current situation and mitigate any negative impacts that might be felt,” Barnes said. “We’re all in this together, and the more we can accommodate consumers and businesses during this time, the better.”
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