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Poolman: Actually I’m just having a flashback to a few nights ago sitting in a bar in SLC after a miserably 
long day of travel. I ordered a double Crown and Coke. This geeky bartender comes back, “we can only serve one once of alcohol at a time”, what about a shot and a beer?, “that is OK”, is it normal beer?, “What do you consider normal?”, well, for starters normal beer would contain 3.5-5% alcohol, “No, it’s low alcohol beer”, So I can have a shot and a low alcohol beer but not a double cocktail? “Yes”, can I have another Crown and Coke? Are you done with the first one”, almost, “I’ll need to take the glass before I can serve you a second”, you people are WEIRD, beam me up Scotty!
Question: Have you ever had trouble ordering a drink in Utah?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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Sam_Crawford on December 22 at 3:24 p.m.
@poolman: The liquor laws in some of the southern counties of Idaho are just as restrictive.
I think Madison County (Rexburg/BYU Idaho) only has one establishment in the whole county (Applebees) that serves alcohol. Bonneville County (Idaho Falls) cannot serve hard alcohol and only serves beer and wine on Sunday. I think Canyon County might be the same as Bonneville County.
JamesBond on December 22 at 3:31 p.m.
Not really, but I do drink a lot more when I’m there.
spokelooneh on December 22 at 3:42 p.m.
“Bonneville County (Idaho Falls) cannot serve hard alcohol and only serves beer and wine on Sunday.”
Huh?
I read that to mean no hard alcohol is ever served (legally) but beer and wine can be Sunday, the day of our Lord, so to speak?
Sam_Crawford on December 22 at 3:52 p.m.
@spokelooneh: “I read that to mean no hard alcohol is ever served (legally) but beer and wine can be Sunday, the day of our Lord, so to speak?”
A bar can premake margaritas on Saturday and serve them from a beer tap on Sunday so I guess I wasn’t completely accurate in my description.
But basically, yes. No hard alcohol is served in the county on Sunday. Just beer and wine.
Sisyphus on December 22 at 4:03 p.m.
That’s not quite accurate Sam. No state is just as restrictive as Utah unless its outright prohibition which some counties have, but not in Idaho. No state has the set of draconian rules that Utah requires for dispensation like poolman experienced. And this is after they were streamlined for the Olympics. Liquor stores are the best way in Utah if you can find one open. Poolman for future reference, I think you can get a gin and tonic plus a shot of gin which you can then combine. Don’t you still have to buy a membership?
There’s a couple of beer bars on the Madison county line last I checked and that’s the first I heard about anyplace within Rexburg that sells beer and wine. Do they have a liquor license cause that would be news indeed? But I’m not sure its because of the law or not. Since cities and counties were delegated the power to control sales it is a very odd patchwork. I can’t buy beer in Shelley on Sunday in a store but can just five miles down the road in either direction.
Sam_Crawford on December 22 at 4:09 p.m.
@Sisyphus: “There’s a couple of beer bars on the Madison county line last I checked and that’s the first I heard about anyplace within Rexburg that sells beer and wine.”
I’m guessing those beer bars are in Jefferson County but I could be wrong.
Sisyphus on December 22 at 4:14 p.m.
LOL Sam, they could very well be. Since I travel through the area at the highest speed allowed by law and well provisioned I have little cause to visit them.
zelda on December 22 at 4:15 p.m.
I spent a night in SLC involuntarily after my flight was late and I missed a connection. Delta put me up at a motel. It was a laugh riot for all of us standing in line to check-in. A guy at the front of the line was earnestly questionning the reservation clerk as to where he could get baptized. They had a long conversation.
The next day I had breakfast at the restaurant next door and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get any coffee.
It’s very disturbing when you realize that SLC is the most liberal part of Utah. If someone paid me to go to Sundance for the film festival, I might consider going, but otherwise, no way.
Fixer on December 22 at 4:17 p.m.
My colleague and I were in a SLC restaurant when we noticed that there were only “virgin” drinks on the menu. When we asked the server whether they served alcohol, she said, “Yes, now that you have asked me I can tell you about them.”
Puzzled, we questioned her further, and found that the servers were not permitted by law to mention alcoholic beverages unless the customer mentioned them first. An interesting law, needless to say.
I also seem to remember having one hell of a time finding a cigar shop later that same day.
Sam_Crawford on December 22 at 4:18 p.m.
@ Sisyphus: “Since I travel through the area at the highest speed allowed by law and well provisioned I have little cause to visit them.”
That was you? Actually you and me both.
Cindy_H on December 22 at 4:35 p.m.
Only time I’m in Utah is to change planes.
Can’t remember if I’ve visited the SLC airport bar.
I try not to dwell on things like Utah.
Sisyphus on December 22 at 4:48 p.m.
For me Utah has the most diverse outdoor beauty in the lower 48. And the culture and history is fascinating albeit somewhat repressive. Don’t let the Mormons keep you from seeing it.
Sam, I crawl all over SE Idaho looking for fish. Some of the most unique bars in the state, with characters to match, are over there and I keep toying with publishing a humorous travelogue about them.
JohnA on December 22 at 4:48 p.m.
Madison County has zero liquor licenses, not one. No liquor stores, no liquor by the drink.
Remarkably, however, they are more than happy to receive liquor taxes generated elsewhere in the state. I guess hypocrisy often rears its ugly head when balancing local budgets is concerned.
Sisyphus on December 22 at 4:56 p.m.
Frustrating how the free market ideology fails in this regard. Idaho shouldn’t be in the liquor business.
Sisyphus on December 22 at 4:56 p.m.
Damn socialists.
;-)
Sam_Crawford on December 22 at 5:05 p.m.
They aren’t socialists Sis. They might me Mormons.
And I agree that Idaho has no business in the liquor business.
JohnA on December 22 at 5:09 p.m.
You’re right, Sys, except the state is bad at Socialism. Issue 1: they will issue a liquor license for $500 and then watch as it resells for, sometimes, $250,000 (actual case in CDA).
My thiking is if the state is going to restrict the licenses, thereby creating a monopoly on them, they should at least reap the benefits of that policy. Alas, not the case.
florined on December 22 at 5:28 p.m.
Things have changed a lot, apparently, since I last tried to take a friend do dinner at a nice restaurant in SLC. That was 20 some years ago. To get drinks, I had to first order set ups from the dinner waiter. Then walk over to the conveniently located liquor store (across the room from our table) and purchase small bottles of liquor. Of course, I was a little used to that, coming from WV where the “private club” with member liquor “lockers” let one get around the laws.
Howard_Martinson on December 22 at 6:10 p.m.
Actually, I think the most liberal town in Utah is Park City, there’s either a Starbucks, bar or pub on every block it seems.
My most wierd Utah moment was at a Subway where I stopped for a sandwich and a cup of coffee. Sandwich - no problem. Coffee - NFW. (That’s no feasible way, by the way, get your mind out of the gutter!)
Bigguy on December 22 at 8:12 p.m.
My first year teaching/coaching found our basketball team in Rexburg for the state tournament. All of our north Idaho supporters brought at least one suitcase full of alcohol rather than try to find any in town.
Me on December 22 at 8:23 p.m.
I was LDS for a time - so there’s that. I do remember too when we’d go bowl in Salmon Id from Western Montana - and there was no alcohol on Sunday - now that I think about it, I don’t know why that was a big deal to my parents and their friends, but it must have been because I remember it.
As for the Utah thing - I know there are some differences there and since we are planning a 10 day trip that does include Utah this summer I guess we better find out exactly what we’re in for.
Me on December 22 at 8:28 p.m.
Oh and also - there are many many villages in Alaska that are dry. I don’t think Utah is by itself on that.
IdahoDad on December 22 at 9:26 p.m.
I don’t drink, so I never take notice of what adult beverages might be offered on a menu. But, one of the best meals I’ve ever had was at Pasta Jay’s in Moab, Utah. If you’re ever there, check the place out.
Arches, Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands… Who needs to drink when you’re surrounded by such amazing scenery?
Me on December 22 at 9:43 p.m.
Idaho Dad - those destinations are on our itinerary for this summer - Arches and Canyonlands - looking forward to it. But once we park the bikes for the day we do like to have a beer or two and talk about the days ride - so we’ll have to plan accordingly.
mike_s on December 22 at 9:47 p.m.
Absolutely IdahoDad, one of the best highs I have ever experienced was after a day of canyoneering through the Virgin River at Zion with some of the locals from St. George. Truly spiritual, natural.
spokelooneh on December 22 at 9:53 p.m.
“Arches, Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands… Who needs to drink when you’re surrounded by such amazing scenery?”
-IdahoDad
Not me of course, but some would say a different sortof mind-altering substance enhances the enjoyment of the amazing scenery in Utah.
;)
spmeans on December 23 at 7:26 a.m.
I’m a former Spokanite (Shadle Park, class of ‘82) now living in Salt Lake City. Let me set you straight on a few things about Utah alcohol laws:
1) Yes, no doubles. But you can order a “sidecar,” which is a second shot of booze in a shot glass — which you, the customer, can then add to your drink.
2) Though doubles are illegal, mixed drinks with more than one type of booze are allowed — because the second or third alcohol is deemed a “flavoring.”
3) Private-club memberships were abolished this summer. Now anyone over 21 can walk into any bar.
Utah’s liquor laws are a pain, but are better than they used to be.
Arpie on December 23 at 7:55 a.m.
Me-
If its still there, The Poplar Place in Moab will suit you fine -a great bar and grill. They also now have a brew pub run by the same folks who have one in Mccall.
poolman on December 23 at 8:02 a.m.
sp - do you realize how crazy that sounds? There must be something in the water down there. I prefer a double because the ratio of spirit to mix suits my pallet better than a single. The whole notion of no double or a single with a sidecar is ludicrous. I don’t care if the Mormons want to live a life style they deem “righteous”, just keep your goof ball believes out of the legislature.