Sensible and Dumb State Beer Laws

What part of the Alabama Three Tier regulations prevent an on- or off-premise licensee from carrying more than "1 or two" local beers?

ABV caps were likely put into place because of the typical relatively low state excise tax on beer compared to the same state's excise tax on wine and liquor.

For instance, in South Carolina (2014 rates per Tax Foundation):

Beer = 77¢ per gallon
Wine = $1.08 per gallon
Spirits = $5.42 per gallon​

 

Hey, we have drive-thru liquor stores though, and lots of small independent liquor stores who can sell you cold beer with no ABV cap. We also have free sampling allowed in liquor stores, but only if it's free. And I believe the "server" of the samples needs to be certified. And Sunday sales as of 2008.

 

Virginia probably isn't the only state like this, but technically, there is no such thing as a "bar" in VA, just a restaurant with a liquor license. Meaning you have to get half your profits from food. Breweries seem to be exempt from this... because food trucks, I guess.

 

South Dakota is pretty open. No ABV limit, and you can get beer, Liquor, and wine in any packaging from liquor stores, supermarkets, gas stations, and stores like Costco, Sam's, and World Market. You can get growler fills at liquor stores, supermarkets, and taprooms. Days and hours are not restrictive either.

 

not sure how many other states are like this:

in NJ, to drink at the brewery you have to go on a tour. so the brewery may have a pub-like set-up (like Cape May brewing) but to drink you must go on a tour (which was entering the brewhouse and listening to a 5 minute summary). BUT you could go to a brewery and buy growler/cans/bottles without a tour; only drinking on premises requires a tour.

it's two-fold, a mandatory tour for drinking at a brewery can cheapen/minimize the tour because no one wants a 25 minute tour just to drink at their favorite brewery. it would be nice/simple to go to a brewery, have some draft beers and leave with a growler/cans/bottles with no tour required.

 

I was staying at a Hilton in Virginia about 20 years ago, and headed for the restaurant/bar but found it closed. The desk clerk told me that it was shut down for a few months for not meeting the ratio. Ironically the bar in the lobby was open as usual, and they said that never gets shut down - and they didn't serve food. Must be some type of loophole.

 

Having spent many a vacation in Utah, and read about the area, it was called Mormon Cowboy beer by the likes of Edward Abbey and others. You might have a stronger IPA at a brewery, but that was an bottled beer, sold to the State store, and bought back by the brewery. It is Utah, if you want a beer, you do what you have to.

 

Hear you but fairly GOOD rules on brewery sales and self distro up to a reasonable amount and no restrictions to where retail sales occur--i.e. not required to be sold in package/ABC. Compared to many places I have lived, I think pretty good overall.

Not a "law" issue but on a side note, lots an lots of different distributors for access.

 

Having grown up in Indiana back when the buffalo roamed, most of that is left over from prohibition, and a stong religious lobby against alcohol. Indiana has a strong Bible Belt leaning.

I grew up in a county that did not allow grocery stores to sell beer, let alone cold beer.

 

And always the twain meets?

 

Or the wrong road I have choose.

 

I travel to Evanston Wyoming (nearest out of state city) for a beer haul

 

One strange one that I believe has recently been changed:
A Virginia winery that also wanted to produce beer had to have the tasting (and production?) facilities completely separate, and you couldn't take open beverages between the two. Learned this visiting Corcoran winery/brewery years back. Corcoran moved beer production to a new location. Barrel Oak Winery, I have been told, was starting a brewery, however, that was to be sold in the same building (hence my belief the law changed).

I should look it up...

Edit: Hmm-a pretty decent page. I did recall reading about the corkage fee law change:
https://www.abc.virginia.gov/enforcement/virginia-codes-and-regulations/legislative-update

 

Use to live in Pennsylvania and the laws there were a pain. Moved in 2013 and have heard laws have been loosened. Other then that I have lived in New Jersey, Vermont and New Hampshire. New Jersey has pretty loose laws. I worked at a liquor store there and you can have beer, wine and liquor in one place. Pretty much no restrictions with time and days of the year. Vermont's a little more restrictive. State run liquor stores and the places that sold beer restricted what growlers could be used. To have a tasting event for customers (at stores) it would require a weeks notice to the state and a permit that was displayed during the event. And the permit would only last for a certain amount of hours. I just moved to New Hampshire so I don't fully know the laws here. But a lot of people take advantage of the no sales tax.

 

Dumb state beer laws: in Texas it is the TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission). Most worthless bunch of a$$holes, waste of taxpayer dollars right there. No rhyme or reason to what they do. Absolutely worthless on all accounts.

 

I'm always amazed at how draconian some state laws are. I'm also kind of amazed people still live in some of these states. Not judging, just amazed

 

Quite a few places in Pittsburgh sell singles, bombers, six packs etc. depending on where you're staying in the city.

 

It would make life easier sometimes if i can buy beer at Acme or 7-11 instead of a pure liquor store but it doesnt matter too much.

 

Most of the southern "weird" liquor laws are due to the strong church presence that existed at the time. Churches/religions lobbied hard to get certain things done and to make sure they were heard, they would bus people to the polls. It has taken years for some of this to come back down, but it is hard to undo some things once they are done.

 

Michigan has opened up a couple of the laws that were problematic in recent years. Now, Sunday morning sales (7AM-12PM) are allowed, of course for an extra fee to the license holder. Also, growler laws now allow for an establishment to fill any growler, not just their own. Of course, I know of some places that still require their own glassware for growler fills. Restaurants can fill growlers. Liquor stores (party stores) and grocery stores can sell beer, wine, and liquor. The state has the most control over liquor and sets minimum prices, but there are no state-run shops. From this consumer's perspective, the laws are consumer-friendly as compared to other states.