Over serving at craft beer spots

All bartenders should be responsible for monitoring their clientele to the best of the ability and prevent them from physically damaging levels of alcohol.

 

I was in Taunton, MA about 5 years ago at a bar. I was staying at the hotel across the street. The bartender wouldnt serve me more than 2 beers.

I found out later that they must have thought i was a fisherman and didnt want me falling off the boat and drowning.

 

I'm glad I live in a city where driving is not the only way to get around.

 

legally responsible. They can/ do face criminal charges for over-serving.

 

Exactly my point, that's why they shouldn't be afraid to cut someone off long before it reaches that.

 

Are they driving? Are they bothering other patrons? Are they a danger to themselves?

There were a couple of drunk dudes at the Kuhnhenn Winter Solstice that were visibly drunk and getting fresh big pours of 10.5 DRIPA. They were briefly mildly annoying but not out of control. I do hope that none of them were driving though, especially after one more big DRIPA.

 

I bet that's the last time you referred to a bartender as a 'scallywag' .

 

Doesn't matter what we think. It is the law. Dram Shop law.

 

I don't see it much at all around here. Yes, I think bartenders should cut off someone who is clearly drunk.

Also, many states have a law in place that effectively ensures that the staff should be monitoring consumption and should be cutting off folks who are visibly drunk. It's called a "dram shop" law, and in some states such laws even apply to the hosts of a private party at which they serve alcohol to their guests.

What a dram shop law makes possible is for the victim to sue you as the server and/or the owner of the bar, as the alcohol provider, for damages if the drunk person you served has an accident that injures someone else. An easy Google search reveals that not only does Alabama have such a law in place but that they also have law firms specialzing in handling legal action on behalf of those harmed by a drunken driver.

https://www.allredlawfirm.com/dram-shop-liability.html

 

It does matter what we think, laws can change as a result. Marijuana legalization is a perfect example.

 

In the context of the OP, he was asking if we thought bartenders that he observed over-serving customers should be required to cut them off. In that context, it doesn't matter what we think since they are already required by law to cut them off.

Are you saying you'd like the Dram Shop Laws repealed?

 

Having been a bartender, it can be tough, because they get angry. But some bartenders definitely give less shits than I did, ha.

 

I've never been around obnoxiously drunk folks at a craft bar.

Wait, maybe that means I'm the obnoxiously drunk one....

 

I think this is a shared responsibility all around. If the person is obviously out of control yes time to cut off or send them home in cab or with friend. Second, I hold the person to be self responsible also, know your limits and respect the place your in, don't act like a jerk so to say.
Bartenders walk a fine line, they have to police the people and act when needed but have to be careful not to overstep due to fallout or someone complaining to the owner over undue harassment. I think most responsible adults won't cause an issue but we always have that % that has to take it to the limit when out, ha ha.
Cheers

 

Funny - I was at one of my local spots last night on the early side (Tuesday; 7pm) and the guy next to me at the bar was pretty pissed up. Never seen that before there at any time of day. And I find it happens pretty rarely in NYC compared to where I'm from (UK)

But yeah - cut them off - they're fucking annoying. Don't get me wrong I'm all about being drunk. But it's that sloppy, annoying, won't-fuck-off drunk I'm talking about

 

I never knew he drank until I saw him sober

 

We just had a local bar shut down after losing a lawsuit for serving alcohol to a patron who left the bar and ran over two people....

 

Over serving can happen quickly with high abv beers. It definitely happens more than it should, we need educated bar staff. Too many people don't understand that 1 beer could really be 3 depending on abv.