A patron stands in front of a shelf of wine bottles at The Liquor Store.Com in Brooklyn, N.Y., last March.

Why Liquor Shortages Caused By The COVID-19 Pandemic Persist In Some States

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2021-09-23 03:00:03

A patron stands in front of a shelf of wine bottles at The Liquor Store.Com in Brooklyn, N.Y., last March. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A fair warning for your next trip to the liquor store: Several states across the U.S. are still experiencing booze shortages related to COVID-19, and it's unclear when supply will be able to meet demand.

Early in the pandemic, it was common to find libations low in stock after some liquor stores briefly closed amid statewide lockdowns and skyrocketing consumer demand for alcohol.

But continued reports of shortages from Vermont to New Jersey to Ohio persist more than a year later, and some states are rationing their liquor supply amid ongoing supply chain issues.

The Pennsylvania state board in charge of consumer liquor sales announced last week that it was limiting customers to two bottles of certain alcoholic beverages per day. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board said the purchase limit on select items — including Hennessy Cognac, Buffalo Trace bourbon and Patrón tequila — will be in place for the "foreseeable future."