Valid ID in California

I can't speak to this specific issue, but the local CA ABC office has been known to run sting operations for underage alcohol sales. I remember there was one a couple years ago where five to ten breweries/tasting rooms all got nailed within the span of a week and several of them increased their ID scrutiny immediately after.

It sucks for the edge cases like this who are legal to drink but denied service, but the risk on the brewery makes it wise for them to err on the side of caution.

 

lol you guys out of state DLs are allowed as well as passports and passport cards

however any establishment can have their own house rules and its up to their discretion what they want to accept

 

I think that's a big issue near me, we are in a college town and several times a year there seem to be sting ops. Occasionally a bar will get caught up and shut down for a time but mostly it just manifests in serious increases in ID scrutiny all over town. I'll even get ID'd at places where I'm quite regular and friendly with the bar tenders and have been told that management just tells them ID everyone and deny any ID you're not 100% sure of.