For years, buying a beer or a bottle of wine at your local grocery store in Texas has been pretty straightforward.
But if you’ve ever wanted to grab a canned margarita or a vodka soda while picking up your dinner ingredients, no such luck.
That might be changing soon.
What changes might be coming soon?
Texas lawmakers are currently considering a bill that could bring ready-to-drink cocktails into grocery and convenience stores.
Senate Bill 2225, along with its counterpart House Bill 4077, is pushing for canned, spirit-based drinks to be sold in the same aisles as beer and wine.
Back in March, both bills were officially introduced in the legislature. Then, on Thursday, as reported by Chron., SB 2225 passed a committee vote. Now, it’s headed to the full Texas Senate.
If it passes there, it moves to the House of Representatives. And if it clears that final hurdle and gets signed into law? Spirit-based canned cocktails with up to 17% alcohol by volume (ABV) could soon be available in places like H-E-B or 7-Eleven.
Under current Texas law, you can only find these drinks at liquor stores. That means your favorite ranch water or canned espresso martini is off-limits during a regular grocery run, even though other states allow it.
So what does this mean for Texas?
If SB 2225 passes, it could open the door to more choices, more convenience, and, probably, more sales. It’s also a move that brings Texas in line with a growing number of states that already allow ready-to-drink cocktails in everyday retail settings. Given how popular these drinks have become nationwide, Texas might just be catching up.
While Texas grocery stores catch up to liquor stores, liquor stores are also undergoing momentous change. As previously reported by the Daily Dot, “garden space” beverages, or those that contain THC, are becoming more popular than alcohol at major liquor stores like Total Wine & More.
@jessmcnulty 🗣️🫖 i mean…. Is this the next craft beer? 🤔 #gardening #totalwine #drinkreviews #calisober #soberish #tea #spillingtea #spillingthetea ♬ original sound – Jess McNulty
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