In the midst of the Utah legislative session, we are once again reminded just how twisted the state’s liquor laws are. There are some hopeful initiatives afoot such as replacing the one-ounce liquor shot with a one and a half ounce shot and keeping the state liquor stores open on primary and election days.

Yet, as bizarre as our laws may seem, other states have their own convoluted statutes. And, perhaps none is as — oh let’s just say it — dumb as Pennsylvania’s beer case law. Once again, the Pennsylvania legislature is considering a bill that could change the state’s long-standing practice of selling beers only in cases. That’s right — you read that correctly.

This past week, a state senate committee approved a bill that would allow beer distributors to sell quantities as small as six-packs. Bars and restaurants in Pennsylvania that now sell only two six-packs per customer could start selling three six-packs at a time.

Lew Bryson, a Pennsylvanian who runs the Seen Through A Glass blog about beer and whiskey, believes the law will pass because it’s a “safe” revision to the existing regulations which have been in place since just a few years after the end of Prohibition in the 1930s. He also sheds no tears for the tavern and beer store owners who have profited handsomely from the unique beer monopoly they have enjoyed for decades.

The law, however, does not permit the sale of beer in grocery or convenience stores although some critics believe the modification eventually opens a back door for such a move. The existing law has benefited enormously the distributors with the greatest market clout — who flout regulations by dictating the prominent location for their retail beer coolers and their logo-marked taps.

In his blog, Bryson has indicated that he would prefer a package store system:

“Let’s go to a package store system. Break up the damned State Store system and make ONE type of license to sell beer, wine, liquor and all alcohol off-premise, in any amounts, without artificial restraint. Put reasonable limits on the number of licenses per capita per county if you feel you have to — and they will — but give these guys a chance. I’d love to see a package store system in PA.”

The revised six-pack law would likely benefit those distributors who carry an extended line of “craft” beers and who’d likely invest in shelving and retail space to sell six packs.

And, much as in Utah, where the laws, restrictive as they are, do not deprive customers of excellent choices in beer, wine, and spirits, Bryson notes that Pennsylvania’s liquor law idiosyncracies do little to dampen the market availability of high-end products:

“Within 20 minutes drive, I can get to three excellent bottleshops with over 200 beers available. I can get to two distributors with a similar selection. But the fact of the matter is: good beer selections, notable beer selections, aren’t really a function of sixpack or case laws. They’re a function of retailers building or recognizing a market, and putting in the investment to serve it. And high-end beers — like high-end wines, or high-end automobiles — have a finite market. You can’t have a fantastic selection at every store: doesn’t happen now, won’t happen in the future. Adequate, maybe even good, okay. But fantastic? Never.”