How Indiana’s Alcohol Laws have Evolved Over the Last Century

In lieu of the recent updates and articles surrounding that question as to whether Indiana will ever change its law to allow Sunday alcohol and cold beer sales, below is a look at how the state’s alcohol laws have evolved over the last century.

• 1918: Indiana goes dry as a state.

• 1920: 18th Amendment (national prohibition of alcohol) takes effect.

• 1933: Prohibition is officially repealed with the passage of the 21st Amendment.

• 1935: Indiana passes a liquor control act that says retail whiskey can be sold only in drugstores but not for drinking on the premises. Beer and wine can be sold in drugstores and restaurants. Sales on Sundays, holidays and Election Day are prohibited. Drinking age is 21.

• 1953: Package liquor stores are allowed to sell warm beer.

• 1963: Package liquor stores are allowed to sell cold beer.

• 1971: Sunday sales at wineries are allowed.

• 1973: Sunday sales of alcohol are permitted by the drink at restaurants, bars, hotels and private clubs.

• 2010: The prohibition of Election Day alcohol sales is repealed. Sunday carryout sales are allowed at microbreweries.

• 2013: The General Assembly passes a law to allow craft artisan distilleries to sell locally made hard alcohol such as bourbon or vodka on site. Law had allowed only the wholesale of hard alcohol.

• 2014: Wine and beer sales are allowed during the Indiana State Fair. Breweries are allowed to sell growlers at farmers’ markets.