It's a step in the right direction but still a bit silly.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10063186
For the first time since the repeal of Prohibition, people in Utah may buy whiskey, vodka and high-alcohol beer at a local distillery or brewery instead of trekking to a state-controlled liquor outlet for a bottle or six pack.
The rule change, approved Wednesday by the Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, means that Wasatch and Squatters beers, containing alcohol higher than 3.2 percent by weight,will no longer be shipped to the 14-story state warehouse in Salt Lake City - and then trucked back to pubs in Salt Lake and Park City.
"This helps us with quality control," said Amy Cody, spokeswoman for Salt Lake Brewing Co. "Before, we had to ship our [heavy] beers in warm trucks and store them in an unrefrigerated warehouse. For the best taste, beers should be cold."
The so-called Type 5 package license affects Salt Lake Brewing Co., Utah Brewers Cooperative and High West Distillery, all located in Salt Lake City.
Now, instead of just T-shirts emblazoned with heavy-beer labels, people can also pick up six packs of Devastator Double Boch and India Pale Ale suds which are bottled at Utah Brewers Cooperative, 1763 S. 300 West.
The brewery also plans to create more brands of high-alcohol beers for retail sale, to be offered alongside its regular stock of 3.2 brands such as Polygamy Porter, Captain Bastard's Oatmeal Stout and Chasing Tail Golden Advertisement
Ale.
"This makes a lot of sense," said Wasatch Pub owner Greg Schirf, who is no stranger to state liquor regulations. It was Schirf who helped push through a Utah bill making brew pubs legal in 1988.
But there's still some confusion.
Six packs of Squatters India Ale, for instance, may be purchased only at the Salt Lake co-op where it is brewed - but not at Squatters Pub Brewery in Salt Lake City, Squatters Airport Pub at Salt Lake City International Airport or Squatters Roadhouse Grill in Park City.
The license allows for heavy beer to be sold in bottles as take-out only where it's brewed although the beverages may be sold on tap in pubs.
At this point, Squatter's Pub Brewery in Salt Lake City has no plans to sell take-out heavy beer - unless there's a high demand for it. Still, for those anxious to buy the soon-to-be released Fifth Element, a rustic, Old World-style Belgian ale, try asking a server if you can take an unopened bottle home.
Until this month, only Utah wineries were allowed to sell their products on site, under a bill passed by the Utah Legislature in 1991.
Then the question arose if a similar license could be granted to distiller David Perkins late last year when he was given a permit to bottle his blend of rye whiskey.
"Until then, it never occurred to anyone to extend the rule to the distillery and breweries," said liquor department spokeswoman Sharon Mackay.
Now, people may buy bottles of Rendezvous Rye and Vodka 7000 at High West Distillery, Utah's first distillery since the end of Prohibition in 1933.
Perkins said people are more apt to buy a bottle or two when they visit his distillery, 3555 W. 1500 South, than they are to find a state liquor store, which also stocks his products.
* In the next day or two, six packs of Wasatch and Squatters heavy beers may be sold at Utah Brewers Cooperative, 1763 S. 300 West in Salt Lake City.
* Squatters Pub Brewery, 147 West Broadway in Salt Lake City, may create a high-alcohol beer and serve it directly to customers.
* High West Distillery, 3555 W. 1500 South, Salt Lake City, may sell bottles of Rendezvous Rye and Vodka 7000.
* State liquor outlets also stock High West Distillery's products as well as Wasatch and Squatters heavy beers.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10063186
For the first time since the repeal of Prohibition, people in Utah may buy whiskey, vodka and high-alcohol beer at a local distillery or brewery instead of trekking to a state-controlled liquor outlet for a bottle or six pack.
The rule change, approved Wednesday by the Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, means that Wasatch and Squatters beers, containing alcohol higher than 3.2 percent by weight,will no longer be shipped to the 14-story state warehouse in Salt Lake City - and then trucked back to pubs in Salt Lake and Park City.
"This helps us with quality control," said Amy Cody, spokeswoman for Salt Lake Brewing Co. "Before, we had to ship our [heavy] beers in warm trucks and store them in an unrefrigerated warehouse. For the best taste, beers should be cold."
The so-called Type 5 package license affects Salt Lake Brewing Co., Utah Brewers Cooperative and High West Distillery, all located in Salt Lake City.
Now, instead of just T-shirts emblazoned with heavy-beer labels, people can also pick up six packs of Devastator Double Boch and India Pale Ale suds which are bottled at Utah Brewers Cooperative, 1763 S. 300 West.
The brewery also plans to create more brands of high-alcohol beers for retail sale, to be offered alongside its regular stock of 3.2 brands such as Polygamy Porter, Captain Bastard's Oatmeal Stout and Chasing Tail Golden Advertisement
Ale.
"This makes a lot of sense," said Wasatch Pub owner Greg Schirf, who is no stranger to state liquor regulations. It was Schirf who helped push through a Utah bill making brew pubs legal in 1988.
But there's still some confusion.
Six packs of Squatters India Ale, for instance, may be purchased only at the Salt Lake co-op where it is brewed - but not at Squatters Pub Brewery in Salt Lake City, Squatters Airport Pub at Salt Lake City International Airport or Squatters Roadhouse Grill in Park City.
The license allows for heavy beer to be sold in bottles as take-out only where it's brewed although the beverages may be sold on tap in pubs.
At this point, Squatter's Pub Brewery in Salt Lake City has no plans to sell take-out heavy beer - unless there's a high demand for it. Still, for those anxious to buy the soon-to-be released Fifth Element, a rustic, Old World-style Belgian ale, try asking a server if you can take an unopened bottle home.
Until this month, only Utah wineries were allowed to sell their products on site, under a bill passed by the Utah Legislature in 1991.
Then the question arose if a similar license could be granted to distiller David Perkins late last year when he was given a permit to bottle his blend of rye whiskey.
"Until then, it never occurred to anyone to extend the rule to the distillery and breweries," said liquor department spokeswoman Sharon Mackay.
Now, people may buy bottles of Rendezvous Rye and Vodka 7000 at High West Distillery, Utah's first distillery since the end of Prohibition in 1933.
Perkins said people are more apt to buy a bottle or two when they visit his distillery, 3555 W. 1500 South, than they are to find a state liquor store, which also stocks his products.
* In the next day or two, six packs of Wasatch and Squatters heavy beers may be sold at Utah Brewers Cooperative, 1763 S. 300 West in Salt Lake City.
* Squatters Pub Brewery, 147 West Broadway in Salt Lake City, may create a high-alcohol beer and serve it directly to customers.
* High West Distillery, 3555 W. 1500 South, Salt Lake City, may sell bottles of Rendezvous Rye and Vodka 7000.
* State liquor outlets also stock High West Distillery's products as well as Wasatch and Squatters heavy beers.
