HARRISBURG — Beer drinkers, meet your liberator.

State Sen. John Rafferty, flanked by a fife and drum corps in Revolutionary War getup and dozens of convenience store employees holding "Free My Beer" signs, said Tuesday he will attempt once again to loosen Pennsylvania's restrictive beer-sales law.

The bill Rafferty is writing would allow sales of six-packs and 12-packs at beer distributorships, groceries and convenience stores. Currently, the state's approximately 1,100 licensed distributorships are only allowed to sell kegs and cases of beer, while beer drinkers must go to bars or restaurants for a six-pack or two.

"I think this is far-reaching legislation, it's fair legislation and we'll work hard to see it move through the General Assembly," Rafferty told a rally arranged with grocery and convenience store groups.

The theme of the rally in the Capitol Rotunda revolved around a revolution, since that's what it might take to change the law.

In the last two-year legislative session, Rafferty's bill to allow distributorships to sell six-packs and bars and restaurants to sell cases collapsed amid feuding between taverns, distributors, brewers and others.

This version may be no different. Distributors are poised to oppose Rafferty's legislation, saying the additional competition from big retailers such as Wal-Mart and Wegmans will put them out of business.

"If they were all selling beer, I'm sure it would affect my business," said David Shipula, the owner of Beer Super in Wilkes-Barre and president of the Malt Beverage Distributors Association of Pennsylvania.

Rafferty, R-Montgomery, insisted his bill would not put them out of business. They also could sell six-packs, and it would increase the market value of the state-issued liquor licenses that distributors, bars and restaurants can buy and sell to each other, he said.

A prominent player at Tuesday's rally was convenience store operator Sheetz, which last year was denied the ability by the state Supreme Court to sell six-packs without having an eating area that also serves beer.

The court's June ruling firmly limited six-pack sales to places that serve food and allow beer to be consumed on premises, requirements that an increasing number of grocery stores and supermarkets are finding ways to meet to sell six-packs.

Many of the dozens of people lining the marble staircase behind Rafferty were Sheetz employees, and company president Stan Sheetz showed up to question why Pennsylvania harbors such strange beer laws when Sheetz stores in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina all sell beer.

Besides, Rafferty's proposed legislation would bring down beer prices for consumers, he said.

"It treats adults like adults and it protects the rights of beer drinkers," he said.