Alcohol laws of North Carolina

The alcohol laws of North Carolina prohibit the sale of alcohol from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 2 a.m. until noon on Sundays.

North Carolina regulations require that each malt beverage (beer) and wine (fortified and unfortified) product be approved by the State Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission prior to being sold in this state. Liquors are only sold in stores run by the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission. These ABC stores are open between the hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Laws by alcoholic beverage type

Malt Beverages

Malt beverages are defined as any brewed or fermented beverage containing at least 0.5%, and not more than 15.0%, alcohol by volume. Examples of these beverages include beer and malt liquor. Any malt beverage containing more than 6.0% alcohol by volume shall bear a label clearly indicating the alcohol content of the malt beverage.

Unfortified wines

An unfortified wine is any wine of 16% or less alcohol by volume that is made by fermentation from grapes, fruits, berries, rice, or honey; or by the addition of pure cane, beet, or dextrose sugar; or by the addition of pure brandy from the same type of grape, fruit, berry, rice, or honey that is contained in the base wine and produced in accordance with the regulations of the United States.

Fortified wines

A fortified wine is any wine of more than 16% and no more than 24% alcohol by volume that is made by fermentation from grapes, fruits, berries, rice, or honey; or by the addition of pure cane, beet, or dextrose sugar; or by the addition of pure brandy from the same type of grape, fruit, berry, rice, or honey that is contained in the base wine and produced in accordance with the regulations of the United States.

Liquors

Spiritous liquors are any distilled spirits or ethyl alcohol, including spirits of wine, whiskey, rum, brandy, gin and all other distilled spirits and mixtures of cordials, liqueur, and premixed cocktails, in closed containers for beverage use regardless of their dilution.

Laws Relating to Legal Age

Alcohol may NOT be sold to, served to, possessed by, or consumed by persons less than 21 years old. http://www.ncabc.com/education/permittee/faq.aspx] No person under 18 years old may be left in charge of a business holding beer and wine permits. ] No person under 21 years old may be left in charge of a business with any type of spirituous liquor permit. ] Bartenders must be 21 years old to mix drinks containing liquor. ] Wait staff must be at least 18 years old to serve drinks containing liquor. ]

See also

*Alcohol laws of the United States by state

External links

* [http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_18B.html North Carolina General Statutes Chaper 18B - Regulation of Alcoholic Beverages]
* [http://www.ncabc.com/product/ North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission]
* [http://www.raleighchronicle.com/2006082308.html It's Now Easier To Buy A Shotgun In NC Than A Keg Of Beer]
* [http://popthecap.org/?page_id=2 Pop The Cap - Grassroots campaign to increase the alcohol by volume limit for beer from 6% to 15%]

References