How to Buy Alcohol in Qatar

Happy to Have the Permit

A move to the Middle East doesn’t elicit festive thoughts of Napa Valley or a German pub. Our friends lived in Saudi Arabia for two years and never purchased alcohol a single time. It wasn’t available . . . anywhere. They drank juice at restaurants for dinner. Under Islamic law, consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden. Yet in Qatar, an exception is made for non-Muslims, but this right requires a liquor permit, and getting this permit requires a bit of persistence.

In this country the size of Connecticut, 59 times smaller than Texas, there is one single location in all of Qatar where an individual can purchase alcohol for personal use. The Qatar Distribution Company, often referred to as “QDC”, is that one location. Located southwest of city center, it’s situated in an arid no man’s land. In order to enter the premises and purchase alcohol, requires a specialized liquor permit, and in order to obtain this, you must first have your R.P. (Residency Permit), another lengthy process in itself.

Rashid, my Uber driver from Tunisia, drove me to the QDC. The numbers of cars diminished as we headed away from the congested city center.

“I drove a guy out here last week. I had no idea why so many cars were driving in and out of this random building. So many. Now I know.” Rashid said.

As we approached the QDC, like water nearing the exit of a rushing funnel, the concentration of cars again increased. The final right turn towards the QDC compound introduced a new, longer queue of brake lights. Inside the guarded compound, I sauntered to the entrance. Two options presented themselves. To the right, one large room with wood paneling enclosing a variety of international alcohols. To the left, a barren set of worn, white stairs lead to the privilege to buy alcohol in Qatar.

At the top of the stairs, the waiting area contained other liquor permit hopefuls holding glossy, white papers inscribed with a number. Like any other bureaucratic organization in the world, take the number and wait. The BBC World News report provided a background ambiance to a steady stream of visitors quickly scaling the stairs to abruptly analyze this situation. They mentally sized up fellow alcohol purveyors who stared at their phones. Every few minutes, when a red number flashed across the single screen, all eyes eagerly compared it with the one in their hand. Then the lucky winner stood up, entered the office behind the blue door separated by blue partitions, and was never seen again. Just kidding, they exited ten minutes later looking happier than a kid moving out of New Mexico.

When winning number A055 appeared, like those that paved the way before me, I visited Suzie in stall 4. This was only after I accidentally sat in stall 2 and the lady kindly directed me over to stall 4, not 2. Sitting across from Suzie, I thought to myself, I honestly don’t think her friends in the Philippines call the former Qatar Airways employee that name, but here in stall 4, she was Suzie. Suzie warmly greeted me, requested my R.P., new alcohol permit application, 250 Qatari riyals, and a big smile for the camera. Fifty minutes later, I was the proud owner of a story and Qatari alcohol permit.

With a new liquor permit in wallet, I descended the drab stairs like a boss and passed over to the wood paneled section of the QDC to the right. I was part of an elite club now. And like any customer at IKEA knows, patrons followed the predetermined counterclockwise movement around the store. The rum selection left a bit to be desired as Havana Club and Bacardi headlined this section. The beer section comprised less than a quarter of the store and provided a similar low bar quality. Except for a very small section of Belgian beers! A bottle of La Chouffe, Chimay, Kwak, and Triple Karmeliet joined me on the remaining walk around the showroom. The wine selection on the other hand is expansive, putting liquor and beer to shame.

Earlier in 2019, the Qatari government introduced a sin tax that doubled the prices of all items at the QDC, but recent pushback from restaurants encouraged the removal of the sin tax three weeks ago. Perfect timing. I roamed puny QDC for five minutes, picked up four Belgian beers and five bottles of Argentine, Chilean, and French wine. I passed a small refrigerator of pork products (the only available pork in the country) near the cashiers. In the end, the entire purchase came out to 400 riyals (US $110). Quite honestly, the prices were comparable to those back in the United States.

The Belgium Section

Wines From All Around the World!

Sorry Friends, I Can’t Share By Law

If you don’t fit this description and find yourself in Qatar as a tourist, maybe around the World Cup, you follow these steps.

Try to share these with an Englishman!