Utah Alcohol Regulations

[Marc_C]

Yep. Probably another year to wait for the repeal of the curtain law. Fortunately it only applies to new restaurant construction - existing restaurants are grandfathered unless they do a major remodel. Unfortunately that law along with others has prevented some restaurant chains from opening in the state.The actual supposed rationale for the law is even more preposterous than "kids won't drink if they don't see them being prepared" but that they will be enticed to drink by the mystique of watching mixed drinks being prepared. It's all such BS.

[jojo_obrien]

i found it incredibly interesting yesterday at Snowbird that Uinta beer was handing out tons of Uinta schwag and there was no shortage of beer flowing....Uinta beer rep was distributing free marketing material -- hats , shirts, and stickers to the parents who summarily handed aformentioned schwag to the kids.......i guess Snowbird encourages a culture of "drinking" -- exactly what those in power are trying to dissuade in this state..............

[jojo_obrien]

http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/blog-25- ... video.html

an old article (2 months old) but adds to the discussion........

[tirolerpeter]

I lived in UT for six years and I found the LDS obsession with controlling the drinking behavior of adults both annoying and amusing. They consider their members children that must be constantly controlled by the Elders. Since I don't subscribe to their beliefs I didn't really care what they did to their own members. What annoyed me was their insistance upon visiting their BS on everyone. While endlessly whining about the "evil Federal Government" and how it wanted to control everyone, they were/are the most controlling bunch of politicians I have ever experienced. I taught history, government, and economics for over thirty years so I have a pretty broad perspective when it comes to governmental systems and policy. I have also visited all 50 states (not to mention at least 30 other countries) at various times and experienced their policies personally. The UT state leaders endlessly slap themselves on the back about their "business friendliness." Yet, they make it virtually impossible for many new hospitality based business to succeed with their "apportioned" distribution of liquor licenses. So much for "business friendly." I remember a letter in the SL Tribune wherein a writer expressed the opinion that ... "people should learn to enjoy good food with a nice cold glass of water." I moved back east to upper NY State for 9 months (health and family reasons) but this past winter's "Polar Vortex" and the lack of job propects for one of my adult children precipitated a return to the West. I now live in Las Vegas, NV and find myself laughing out loud while participating in a "Wine Tasting" at around 11 AM on a Sunday morning at my local "Albertson's Supermarket." While I don't personally gamble (Just no thrill in it for me.) I could also have walked over to the little "mini casino" located just beyond the check-out registers. I guess NV considers me an "adult."

[Tony Crocker]

I guess NV considers me an "adult."

Maybe so, but how's the skiing down there?

I've never had much difficulty enjoying alcoholic beverages with admin & company or during Iron Blosam week.

[tirolerpeter]

Hi Tony.

I arrived in NV at the end of February but did not get to ski because of some minor surgery on my right ankle. I did take a drive up to the "Las Vegas Ski Resort." It is about 40 minutes northwest of the city. It seems like a pretty decent place to get in some turns for a good workout. What it loses in latitude it compensates for with altitude and does get significant snow totals. Of course, it is also a "mere" 423 miles up to Alta. Most of I-15 south of Provo has an 80 mph limit, and NV is also 70 mph. That makes for a fairly easy run either way.

I never had a problem ordering drinks in restaurants in UT either, but they tended to be rather skimpy (I once actually sent back a Martini for being laughably small at Biaggi's in Salt Lake.) and usually a bit pricey. It amused me to see the silly per/drink restrictions while at the same time, we were able to BYOB and pour whatever we wanted. I have close friends in San Diego, and my Naval Officer son also lived there for several years so my Subie Outback got nick-named "The Wine Wagon" for the booze we carted back after our visits.

[Tony Crocker]

I drive a wine wagon to Iron Blosam every year.

I assume Ski Las Vegas (first place I ever skied by the way) was bad this year, judging by Brian Head and Arizona Snowbowl getting less than half normal snowfall.

[Marc_C]

For all those singling out Utah as *the* state with strange liquor laws (as if it were the only one):

1.Alabama
A law passed in 2012 finally allowed the sale of beer bottles larger than 16 ounces. The new limit: 25.4 ounces, a.k.a. 750 milliliters, meaning 40oz-ers and growlers are still illegal.


2. Florida
Beer must be sold in containers either smaller than 32 ounces or larger than 128 ounces, meaning the industry-standard growler size of 64 ounces is illegal.

3. Indiana
A legal fight is under way challenging a current state law that forces grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies to only sell beer warm. Oddly enough, selling cold beer at a liquor store is fine.

4. Oklahoma
Also restricts beer greater than 3.2% ABW to being sold warm.

5. Massachusetts
The state banned happy hours in 1984. The law doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon, either. Other states take similar stances on drink promotions including Illinois, North Carolina, Oklahoma,Utah, and, until 2012, Kansas.

6. Colorado
Supermarkets and convenience stores can only sell beer that is 3.2 percent ABW (alcohol by weight) or lower. That is the same strength as the beer sold in Utah in those types of stores.

[Marc_C]

It amused me to see the silly per/drink restrictions while at the same time, we were able to BYOB and pour whatever we wanted.

I meant to comment on this back when it was posted.
Remember that while BYOB is legal in Utah, whether you are allowed to do so is solely at the discretion of the establishment, and almost never includes spirits - just wine or beer.

[tirolerpeter]

Just bought a new house in Las Vegas. The Mrs. couldn't tolerate the "Polar Vortex" in Upstate NY. I'm always amused when I see a new posting on this topic. I was in LV just a few days (Last March) when I participated in a "Wine Tasting" at my local Albertson's supermarket at 11AM on a Sunday morning I wonder when the "Elders" will allow their followers to grow up and make adult decisions?

[Marc_C]

If you're going to keep slamming Mormons go right ahead but at least remember:
1. Vegas was settled by Mormons. (Have you visited the Vegas temple grounds yet?). Currently about 5.7% of the Vegas population is Mormon. This is a +40% change from 1990. It is the 2nd largest Christian Denomination in Vegas (same for LA and Phoenix).
2. "Elders" are what the 19 year old missionaries are called, so Elders are certainly not deciding what to allow their followers to do. You're thinking of the Presidency of the church.
3. I can think of at least 30 other states that would not allow a wine tasting in a supermarket, and certainly not on a Sunday, and most not before noon. Right off are most (but not all) of the 18 control states where it is illegal to sell wine anywhere other than a state liquor store.
4. Stop comparing Nevada liquor laws to anywhere else. They are outliers on the relaxed side of things although by no means the least restrictive.
5. Let's look at the state you come from - New York:
* In some counties it is illegal to sell any alcohol before noon.
* There are 9 municipalities that do not allow on-premise consumption - meaning no bars and no wine with your dinner.
* There was a proposal to allow wine sales in supermarkets a few years ago; it was defeated, in no small part due to strong opposition by liquor stores.
* BYOB is illegal in NY.

Denigrate all you like, but at least do so from a fact based position.

[Tony Crocker]

BYOB is illegal in Colorado. I brought a prized cabernet to Vail, which I knew Richard and his wife Elda would enjoy. We could not find a restaurant that would allow us to bring it, even one where our local connection knew the chef.

[Marc_C]

A more recent look at the state of liquor in Utah:
http://www.sltrib.com/home/2939228-155/in-utah-booze-is-booming-and?fullpage=1

I liked this passage:
"One of the things that is sort of intuitive is that visitors come here for convention and leisure travel and they're a different demographic than the majority of folks that live in the state," he said, noting that "outside of Utah, drinking is not a moral issue. It's a social issue."

[Marc_C]

There are still a lot of locations in the country where you can't get a drink. Utah isn't one of them.
Blue = alcohol sales permitted
Red = alcohol sales prohibited
Yellow = alcohol partially prohibited (either wet communities in dry counties or vice versa)

[snowave]

On our trip to CO last week, we stayed at the Ogden Marriott. After driving for 10 hrs, I was as a bit wired. I forgot our flask of whiskey on the counter at home that we usually bring for such occasions, so I headed to the "bar" downstairs for a shot. Well, the only way I could enjoy a shot was to order food. And, even if I did that, I couldn't take it upstairs to my room to finish watching the Ducks/Kings hockey game. Luckily, at intermission I was able to run next door to Brewski's (I think) and was able to get my fix and un-wire.

This is the kind of thing that still drives me nuts about Utah. As I've said before, I think if you live there, you get used to the non-sense and find your ways to deal with it so it's not as big of an issue. But as a visitor, it's still a PIA sometimes to just get a drink.

I will also say that in all my travels, the coffee makers in many hotels around Utah are a joke compared to most places I've stayed.

end rant...