Sensible and Dumb State Beer Laws

Now where's your sense of fun?

 

Maine may be one of the most lax on laws. Sales from 6am-1am, 9am-11pm on Sunday. Minors can drink at home in the presence of their legal guardian. No maximums or minimums on quantities. Beer can be sold pretty much anywhere, but it's a different license for on-premise and carry-out. We do have some crappy growler laws though, but I pretty much only ever get growlers of one particular beer so it doesn't bother me.

 

There used to be a few states that had a 3.2% ABV or ABW law of some sort. Are there any of those laws left?

 

3.2 abw beer is still sold in Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Utah according to The Beer Institute's Brewers Almanac - and up until a few years ago, it accounted for just under 2% of all US beer. IIRC, CO, OK and KS have recently changed or are trying to change the laws that restrict certain retailers from selling beer over the limit. 3.2 beer was written out of MO's laws, but somehow still exists.

 

That's such an incredibly lame law. It makes sense not selling alcohol near a school, but I disagree with the church part. Especially when some churches have wine...

 

Well, WA also has a law that says no alcohol sales within 500 ft of a school or church, but a business can apply for a waiver. The one rule WA has that is ridiculous, is the one that was put in effect 6-8 years ago concerning neon signs. There is a square inch/number of signs limit (IIRC, max 4 signs, with a total square inch of xxxx inches) that can be in outward facing windows. Gots to protect them chilluns.

 

One of the two owners/brewers of Belwether Brewing in Spokane is a pastor. Sometimes his congregation actually holds services in the brewery.

 

I've never heard of that law, I know all off premise purchases have a minimum markup, of 25 percent (ex. If the store buys a twelve pack at ten, they can sell it for a minimum of $12.50) but there is no max, a store can sell the hypothetical twelve pack for $15 if they feel like it. Interestingly enough, on premise sales don't have minimum markup. What you might be thinking of is that distributors must sell to all retail accounts at the same price. For example, Kroger gets the same price as Speedway gets the same price as Joe's bar. There are some fun ways around that law, but that's another discussion for another time. But that being said, price discrimination between accounts is illegal in most states, but there are tons of ways to screw with that which I've done in the past completely legally.

About a month ago, it was signed into law but afaik, the Ohio liquor control people haven't published guidelines on how they will manage the higher abv stuff, so we aren't seeing distribution until we find out the rules.

 

Interesting comment, because we could'nt get CA breweries to fill our out-of-state growler...

 

It applies to breweries, i.e., that is the law. Some are very strict (Highland and SN come to mind) many have a sign behind the bar stating "one pint per person" or similar, yet don't enforce it. Yesterday the bar staff never saw my wife, yet I bought 2 pints each visit. I won't disclose where because there may be an ALE mole here. Flights don't count, because the amount of beer, not the number.

Asheville Brewing has a club of some sort, and members had a 20oz pewter mug hanging on the wall at the brewery. The advantage, you got a 20oz pour for the price of a pint. They are all gone, because serving a 20oz pour also runs afoul of state law.

A new ALE (Alcohol Law Enforcement) supervisor transferred into this area and apparently set out to make a name for herself. Agents even hid across the street at 2:30AM with binoculars to fine one brewery. Place was closed, doors locked, and employee cleaning up and pulled a pint for himself. Brewery was fined, apparently the problem was that it was after the 2:00AM cutoff.

Another brewery we are regulars at, the brewing staff would often go pull a pint or half-pour. I always mentioned that I approved of their ongoing "quality control checks". Apparently that is a no-no, as only tasting room staff can pull from the taps.

 

Back when I was growing up in rural North Carolina, I lived in a dry county. There was an old bootlegger woman whose house was right beside the elementary school. I'm talking 20 feet or so. Many a day, rather than pay attention to the teacher, I watched cars come and go at the bootleggers house, including a couple of sheriff's cars. I was quite certain they were not there to investigate illegal activities.

Just kind of funny and ironic that there are still laws like that on the book anywhere.

Not sure why I felt the need to share the bootleggers story. Oh well!!

 

That is kind of a stupid one, isn't it? Just a heads up for next time, subtle bribes tend to work quite well.

 

There are 24+ breweries within 10 miles of my house. Yet I remember going to bootleggers with my dad, as the area was stone cold dry. Taxi drivers provided the 'service' of home delivery if you didn't want to go out.

The movie Thunder Road was filmed here back in the 50's

If the sheriff ever raided a bootlegger it was probably to confiscate the product and give it out as favors.

 

Idaho has just decided they are not opposed to letting minors into brewery tap rooms, but are letting said tap rooms decide their own policies beyond that:
http://www.spokane7.com/blog/2016/jul/01/going-pint-sized-idaho/

 

Yeah, I was a little surprised to see CA has growler issues in light of,... well, they're California! What, somebody said, "Well, we have to be uptight about something besides vehicle emissions..."

 

Unless the place you're at has recently come under the radar of the local authorities and feel they're under a microscope, or the person behind the bar is just in the mood to be a dick. Or someone just isn't in the mood to engage in "subtle bribery" because it's just stupid to have to put up with that crap. It's a lot easier to get a growler fill when there isn't an absurd law.

 

That might be true, but I'm always more comfortable with a situation that can be solved by throwing money at it.

 

Kids and dogs can be found a every brewery tasting room around here, including the big boys, SN (outside only due to food service) and NB. Some have a few restrictions, such as you kids must remain withing 10 feet of you, or must be gone by 8PM.

Highland Brewing with multiple areas has a kid free (roof deck) areas, and several where kids are welcome.

Feral children have taken the enjoyment out of visits to a couple breweries, but at most if the parents won't address the problem, brewery staff will.

 

Idaho is great. You can buy beer everywhere, even have growler filling stations at the local Mavrik convenience store . Have noticed that the growler beers have been different than the cans or bottles. In fact seems like I haven't even seen the beers on tap for growlers in cans or bottles, which is good! Beer is a grocery and should be sold as such everywhere. Liquor is sold in liquor stores, wine sold in grocery stores ....don't think wine is sold in liquor stores?? Just buy liquor there and never actually looked for wine