Bars and restaurants in New Jersey are now legally allowed to sell mixed drinks and other non-pre-packaged alcoholic beverages to go.

It is the latest effort to allow bars and restaurants to continue to remain in business while also adhering to social distancing rules set forth by Gov. Phil Murphy.

When bars and restaurants were first allowed to sell packaged beer to-go a few weeks ago, the owners of the Shepherd and the Knucklehead in Hoboken teamed up with Hoboken Brewing Company to create an outdoor beer stand, selling cans of craft beer to customers along with their food.

“We are very grateful we didn’t waste any time, because every day we’re pulling in revenue has been key to us surviving this,” says Hoboken Brewing co-founder Andrew Zebrowski.

But now the state has allowed establishments to sell pre-mixed drinks and other alcoholic beverages.

 

“From a business aspect, it’s all been paid for. It’s just sitting there and it doesn’t go bad,” says Joseph Schiavo, co-owner of the Shepherd and the Knucklehead. “The huge thing is it’s paid for and now we can push it out and liquidate it and push sales and make more.”

The law signed by the governor last week requires the cocktails be sold in closed and sealed containers. And local law enforcement officials remind anyone who does grab a cocktail to go that it is still against the law to drink inside of a vehicle or out in public places. Customers must take the drinks to their homes to enjoy or face heavy fines.

New Jersey law doesn't normally allow people to drive with any open containers of alcoholic beverages in their cars. News 12 New Jersey has reached out to the governor's office for further explanation on how that effects the transportation of to-go drinks, but has not yet heard back.