Strange Liquour Laws

[Bobbers]

Back in my college days I went to school in Platteville, Wi. This was close to the Il. and Iowa state lines. Each state had different laws. Iowa was 3.2 beer so we never bought beer there and hard alcohol was only sold in state liquor stores. If you bought Everclear the proof varied depending which state you bought it. If I remember correctly 150, 180 & 190 depending on the states max limit.

I lived near Indiana for awhile state law only allowed you to buy 564 ounces of alcohol in a single transaction it did not matter if it was beer or hard alcohol.

Kentucky state law does not allow the sale of alcohol on election days while the poles are open.

 

[Shakey-and-twitchy]

Atlanta has a famous drive through called Pitch And Put. Briar cliff rd.

 

[August West]

For me the biggest one for you guys in US is that minimum drinking age is 21 in most states, while minimum age to enroll in army is 17 with parent's permission and 18 without (unverified information on my part, someone correct me if I'm wrong).

In my view, they should be the same, old enough to serve, old enough to vote, you should be able to consume alcohol.

I agree. You say serve, I say old enough to get shipped home in box.

And most insurance companies won't insure a tractor trailer fleet who hire drivers younger than 23.

 

[ReapersBlade]

I'm pretty sure PA is up there with the worst of them. A few examples
Under state law, you may buy up to two six-packs of beer for take-out at a time from a bar. No more.
Pennsylvania allows sales of bottled wine and liquor only through a state-run network of more than 600 “state stores.” Residents are also prohibited from buying alcohol outside the Keystone state and bringing it across the border.

 

[FL shaver]

I was a bit surprised by liquor laws when I went to Park City in 2015. Still able to enjoy the High West offerings, though!

Always called the liquor store the package store or "packie" in CT. Made sure not to refer to it that way in Spain.

 

[dangerousdon]

Here in Louisiana it is weird if you can't find liquor in a store...any store! Walk in to Circle-K for a Tall Boy or for your favorite bottle of over-priced cheap hooch. Walk into WalMart and buy a fifth of jack and a hunting rifle with ammo (not that I advocate this at all). Grocery stores sell what ever you want and often have a better selection than liquor stores. Liquor stores are where you go to find that special bottle of whatever you like so much or your favorite craft brew.

Then we have Daiquiri shops. You can buy a beer or mixed drink there, but their bread and butter drinks are daiquiris. Oh and did I mention that most of them have drive through windows? Yup, you can drive up and order a large enough daiquiri to put you and your friends in a temporary daze (again, I don't recommend this at all). Louisiana has special laws on the books specifically to deal with daiquiris. If a straw is in the cup is it an open container? Yeah, that is what we are talking about.

And if you are lucky enough (or not so luck lately) to make it to the Big Easy, there are a whole new set of rules for that. Walk into Pat-O's in the French Quarter and your friends want to leave but you haven't finished your Hurricane? No need to chug and see just how strong that delicious red Kool-Aid like drink really is. Just ask for a "go cup." Or if you are Louisiana enough...ask for a "geaux cup." Yup, you will likely get a plastic cup to pour your drink into so you can leave and go to the next establishment.

Weird laws? You all have some weird ones alright!

 

[Hoka Hey]

I remember reading on old blue laws here in MN. It's still illegal to give your horse more than 1 beer.

 

[Mick]

In New Hampshire there aren't many restrictions

State sells in Wal-Mart size outlets with shopping carts at the entrance

Many state stores are in the median of the interstate with dedicated on/off ramps and large parking lots.

Lots of coupon and discounts

One time a friend purchased a large bottle of rum and by the time all coupon, discounts, and rebates were figured in he was paid $5 To drink the rum.

 

[Slash McCoy]

So we all have em I'm sure. But sometimes I feel Utah takes the cake, here are just a couple:

• 3.2% Beer Only unless it is brewed in the state then it doesn't matter, but anything higher than 3.2% has to be sold in State ran Liquor Stores
• There must be a sign up at every Restaurant or Bar at the door that clearly states "This is a Restaurant" or "This is a Bar"
• Only beer can be sold in grocery stores. Hard alcohol is sold in State ran liquor stores. Utah has a monopoly on liquor stores
• (recently taken off the books) A barrier must be placed at the bar in a Restaurant (think Applebee's or Chilis etc) that prevents patrons from seeing drinks being mixed. Referred to by locals as the zion curtain.
• Starting in December DUI is no longer .08 it is now .05

The last one is causing quite the uproar. I have my opinions. Personally am obviously against driving while intoxicated but with the law at .05 I am afraid to even have one glass of wine while at dinner with my lovely wife.


Do you have any strange liquor laws where you are?

Yes. In New Orleans, in some neighborhoods you cannot carry an alcoholic beverage in an open glass container. Must be plastic or aluminum or similar. If you leave a bar in the French Quarter with a beer, you have to pour it into a plastic "geaux cup" before you take it out the door.

 

[bberg100]

Wyo allowed, maybe still does, drivers to drink. Bars have drive through. I used to grab a tall boy or two in my younger days...

 

[thematthatter]

I lived in oklahoma for a bit. 3.2%beer unless it was at a liquor store also I believe you had to buy real wine at a liquor store as well.
Then in North Carolina has "ABC" stores ran by the state where the price of liquor is the same across the state.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I remember when you could drink while driving in Texas, as long as you were not drunk. The good ol days.

Oh in Louisiana a daiquiri bought from a drive thru is not an open container as long as the straw still has the end of the wrapper covering it. Once you remove that little cap of paper it is an open container.

There are some parishes where by law they have to close the bars at night. Usually 2:00 AM, and can't open again until I think 6:00 AM. Glad we don't have such restrictions in Orleans or Jefferson parishes. What would we do?

 

[Doc4]

I lived in Ontario back in the early 1990s ... back then (still today???) they had "liquor stores" and "beer stores" ... all run by the Provincial government. You could buy hard liquor and wine at the liquor store ... but not beer. You could buy beer at the beer store ... but not anything else. And yes, the two stores were intentionally far apart from each other.

Now, the liquor store was sort of normal, with the bottles on shelves and you walked up and down the aisles browsing and getting what you want and then going up to the cash register to pay. But the beer store? Well, you walk in and there's basically a room, a cashier, and a sort of conveyor belt thing (actually just a bunch of rollers.) You go up to the cashier, tell him what you want, pay and the (and only then) clankity-clankity-clank your beer comes down the rollers from the back room. I suspect it's changed a bit now, but still ...

 

[Acmemfg]

Liquor in these parts of Tennessee is best obtained only if you know the guy making it. That requires being "local".

 

[sfeile]

I lived in Ontario back in the early 1990s ... back then (still today???) they had "liquor stores" and "beer stores" ... all run by the Provincial government. You could buy hard liquor and wine at the liquor store ... but not beer. You could buy beer at the beer store ... but not anything else. And yes, the two stores were intentionally far apart from each other.

Now, the liquor store was sort of normal, with the bottles on shelves and you walked up and down the aisles browsing and getting what you want and then going up to the cash register to pay. But the beer store? Well, you walk in and there's basically a room, a cashier, and a sort of conveyor belt thing (actually just a bunch of rollers.) You go up to the cashier, tell him what you want, pay and the (and only then) clankity-clankity-clank your beer comes down the rollers from the back room. I suspect it's changed a bit now, but still ...

It's like that here in PA also. Beer is from the "distributor" or directly from the brewery, and liquor and wine comes from the "state store". (That one's obviously run through the state government.)
Most of the distributors and even a few of the breweries also have drive-through lanes.

As far as bars and serving goes, there is a set number of liquor licensees. Whatever the actual number is, that's it. They don't issue any more than that. You want to open a bar, you have to find someone that is going out of business and wants to sell their license or you are out of luck.

@thematthatter When I lived in NC in the 90's, I lived in Kannapolis. half the city was in Cabarrus Co., and the other half was in Rowan Co.
Cabarrus was a dry Co. but Rowan wasn't. Half the town was nothing but bars, and the other half of town you couldn't find a drop.

 

[cleanshaved]

Only allowing wine and beer to be sold in supermarkets. No RTD's, ports, or top shelf.
What on earth is that meant to stop. Over the road from one supermarket near me is a bottle store.
So I can buy my beer at the supermarket but have to swing by the bottle store for something stronger.
Yet I can buy whisky online and have it delivered to my door. (long may that continue)

 

[sfeile]

I'm pretty sure PA is up there with the worst of them. A few examples
Under state law, you may buy up to two six-packs of beer for take-out at a time from a bar. No more.
Pennsylvania allows sales of bottled wine and liquor only through a state-run network of more than 600 “state stores.” Residents are also prohibited from buying alcohol outside the Keystone state and bringing it across the border.

I missed your post and posted pretty much the same thing.

Didn't know about the last part however. I live right next to the NY border and it's not uncommon to see people around here buy while in NY and bring it back. They usually don't go out of their way for beer, because of having to pay the deposit on them and I think it's cheaper overall in PA, but the liquor stores are closer than the few that are somewhat close to here.

 

[G-Dogg]

In England and Wales, it is an offence to be in charge of cattle while drunk.

 

[Avvatar]

Cvargo, I moved to Louisiana from Vernal, Utah last year. I worked at a friend's bar and moomlighted at the liquor store. If I had a nickel for every minute I spent explaing Utah's booze laws...

Anyhow! It's shocking to me that here in Louisiana, you can drive through a daiquiri shop and drive home with it. Just a 16-32oz white Styrofoam cup with a lid. As long as you don't insert a straw, you're ok.

 

[cvargo]

Cvargo, I moved to Louisiana from Vernal, Utah last year. I worked at a friend's bar and moomlighted at the liquor store. If I had a nickel for every minute I spent explaing Utah's booze laws...

Anyhow! It's shocking to me that here in Louisiana, you can drive through a daiquiri shop and drive home with it. Just a 16-32oz white Styrofoam cup with a lid. As long as you don't insert a straw, you're ok.

Ah... Good ol Vernal. Been there quite a few times. Yes liquor laws are definitely strange and most places seem to have a few weird ones.