Texans Enjoy Extended Sunday Drinkin' Hours

If you've never cracked open a Lone Star, Texas' signature easy-drinking lager, you're missing out. Lone Star is crisp, classic, and frustratingly elusive for those of us who live outside of the, ahem, Lone Star State. If I lived in Texas, I'd keep my fridge stocked with the stuff seven days a week. Fortunately, thanks to new state legislation, Texas residents can now purchase a six-pack a full two hours earlier on Sundays. I'll tip my 10-gallon hat to that, pardner.

Eater Austin reports that House Bill 1518 went into effect Wednesday last Wednesday, allowing Texans to purchase beer and wine starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays. According to my calculations, the new legislation affords Texans two extra hours of cold ones per week. Think of all the can-crushing, suds-sipping, high-fiving fun one could accomplish in those two hours!

Prior to the legislation taking effect, stores were prohibited from selling beer or wine until 12 p.m. on Sundays. Per Eater, it was one of those longtime laws that existed long after Prohibition was repealed. Of course, in Texas, liquor is still barred from being sold on Sundays, as well as on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day. Liquor sales are allowed on all other days from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Eater reports that there is one pending bill that would allow liquor sales in Texas on Sundays, "but it doesn't seem as though that will become legalized."

In the meantime, Texas residents can stock up on beer and wine on the Lord's day. And while I don't see the new legislation impacting beer and wine sales in a terribly dramatic way, this is one small step for Texas, one giant leap for people who like to purchase a truckload of beer and wine before sliding into their church pew.