June 1 has arrived, and with it comes the official switch to privatization of liquor sales in Washington State.

In West Seattle, most chain grocery stores have their shelves stocked and two previously state-run liquor stores will reopen as private enterprises (the Westwood Village and Alaska Junction locations).

How do the retail consumer taxes work?
As you check out with a bottle of your favorite spirit from here on out, the receipt will show two separate taxes added to the base price listed on the shelves.

First, all bottles will have a 20.5 percent sales tax applied on top of the list price.

Secondly, a “liter tax” is applied, which works a bit differently. The tax is $3.77 per liter, so a pint (350 mL) will have an additional $1.41 tacked on; a fifth (750 mL) adds $2.83; and a half gallon (1.75 L) is hit with $6.60 on top. So whether you are buying bargain basement or top shelf, the liter tax remains the same based on the size of the bottle.

Below is a sample of what the prices are looking like at the onset from a handful of West Seattle grocery stores (in comparison to prices paid to the state prior to the transition).

Please note all of these prices are as of June 1, and will likely change over time as stores offer specials and their prices from wholesalers change (If a loyalty card or special price applied, we used that number). According to a Seattle Times article, the prices from wholesalers vary from brand to brand, with some higher and some lower than what retailers paid in the past. Many believe wholesalers will drop their prices as competition heats up, so prices could go down eventually.

Price comparison of popular brands per “fifth”, or 750 mL bottle (after taxes are applied)
Tequila
Jose Cuervo Gold
State $17.95 / Safeway $18.84 / QFC $21.49 / Thriftway $17.95

Irish whiskey
Bushmill’s
State $26.95 / Safeway $35.35 / QFC $38.97 / Thriftway $36.56

Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s
State $24.95 / Safeway $25.71 / QFC $23.90 / Thriftway $29.33

Vodka
Absolut
State $22.95 / Safeway $25.71 / QFC $26.92 / Thriftway $30.53

Gin
Tanqueray
State $24.95 / Safeway $30.53 / QFC $31.13 / Thriftway $30.53

Rum
Bacardi
State $15.95 / Safeway $13.66 / QFC $14.26 / Thriftway $19.69

Jagermeister (in its own category)
State $25.95 / Safeway $35.35 / QFC $32.94 / Thriftway $34.15

As you can see, some prices are much higher than before, some are just a tad up or down, and prices are going to vary, significantly in some cases, from store to store.

A Spirit Tax Calculator built by the Washington State Department of Revenue is available for download at the top of the story. To use it you will need either Excel, a Google Docs account, or a version of Numbers for the Mac.

You can enter the list price and size of the bottle and your final price, with taxes, will appear (use Calculator A and pay attention to the price generated in the “Consumer” column.)