Pennsylvania has finally made a small, but significant step to keeping some of the thousands who leave this state yearly. You see, in this fine state, you are allowed to buy beer for home in 2 places. We must visit either a distributors, where you have to buy a minimum of 2 dozen cans or bottles; and six-pack shops, where you can buy (you guessed it) six-packs at largely inflated prices. There are two problems with this for me:
1, I don't drink a whole lot of beer. When I do drink, it's usually excessive amounts at one setting (ie, Steelers games, parties, etc...) I guess this technically makes me a "binge drinker", but I suppose that is better than being an alcoholic. Therefore, whenever I go to the distributor and buy a case, I end up having remnants of the case still sitting in my fridge for months at a time, which leads to some pretty nasty tasting beer. For instance, I believe I currently have at least 3 bottles of IC Light that are left over from an August 2006 party sitting in my fridge right at this moment. I will never drink these, and hopefully someday I will remember to either hand them off to an unsuspecting visitor or dump them down the sink.
2, I hate going to our local six-pack shops and I'm not quite sure why. For one, every time I'm in there I feel like I'm the local wino buying his daily fix with some money I just bummed off the street. That and paying 8+ for six Yuenglings doesn't fit in with my naturally cheap disposition.
I oftentimes long for trips to Virginia, Maryland, or any other state that has gone beyond Pennsylvania's 1600's Puritan views and you can buy all types of alcohol in any quantity at normal places, like the grocery store.
Well, PA finally took a necessary step in the right direction this week by allowing a Sheetz "convenience restaurant" (I think that's what they are calling it) in nearby Altoona make six-packs available for purchase. Sheetz had to go through all types of bizarre hoops to make this happen, including putting speed bumps between the gas station and the actually store, but after a 3 year battle, it finally happened. I'll be buying my beer from them in the future if for no other reason than to support this new movement. Hopefully someday we Pennsylvanians over the age of 21 can have free access to our favorite alcoholic beverages without the state feeling the need to treat us like irresponsible teenagers.
