House approves Goughnour bill to allow premixed cocktails on tap
H.B. 1702 helps businesses and modernizes liquor laws
Allegheny County Delegation October 8, 2025 | 5:28 PM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – With strong bipartisan support, the PA House today passed a bill sponsored by state Rep. Dan Goughnour, D-Allegheny, that would modernize state liquor laws by allowing businesses with liquor licenses to have premixed cocktails on tap, just like beer.
Current law prevents licensees from storing premixed cocktails, such as margaritas and mojitos, for more than 24 hours, a requirement that was put in place for health and safety reasons. However, a new product stores these ingredients safely in kegs, and licensees can put them on tap after adding the alcohol.
House Bill 1702 would define these new products in law and make them available for Pennsylvania liquor licensees. They are unavailable in the state now because they would need to be disposed of in 24 hours, despite their longer and safer shelf life.
“These are popular new products, and they will make life easier on businesses with liquor licenses,” Goughnour said. “It’s important that we update our liquor laws when we can so that any business—from our local taverns to our world-class sports and concert venues—can stay competitive.”
Goughnour said the benefits of his legislation include a uniform amount of alcohol in each drink and a higher level of sanitation than drinks poured by hand. The bill would also make it easier for licensees to train new employees to pour drinks.
Thirty-six other states, including all states that border Pennsylvania apart from Delaware, currently permit premixed cocktail kegs, so they are commonly seen on tap nationwide.
Goughnour’s bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.