State run Liquor Stores.

I just don’t get it: how does regulating the sales of booze (by price, locations and time) prevent its misuse?

I looked at the http://www.liq.wa.gov/default.asp site, and ironically, the link to “Benefits of a Control System” is broken.

So I turn to you, my TC clan ~ 19 states that directly control the sale and distribution of beverage alcohol ~ does this affect you? are we able to easily get special orders?

PNW TC folks ~ where do you buy your mixers? I checked out QFC and they didn’t have much on the shelves,only Trader Vic's butter rum stuff, but no syrups). The State Stores don’t list anything on their site (although I did find bottles of Pisco in Moai Bottles)

elicia
Who misses BevMo’s aisles of booze, snacks, advertising and knickknacks…and competitive pricing.

[ Edited by: dogbytes on 2004-06-28 18:18 ]

A thin line of political talk may be walked crookedly here...

Wash. stores can't sell mixers unless there's alcohol in them. This is because the grocery stores can't sell hard liquor. Grocers got some whining "Unfair if the state can sell Coca Cola!" thing into law.

I don't mind state run stores as profits go to the state...But post Mariner and Seahawk stadium BS I'm not so in love with wa.gov. I think the "controls the flow" argument for vice is a lame one. On the other hand, I've found the claims that "The booze is SOOOOO cheap in [name of state with free for all booze laws]!!!" to be largely untrue. Prices I've seen in Califusa or Nevada are similar to WA's (and WA is often lower with sale prices). The exceptions are the cheapo house brands (such as Albertson's big line of booze) but most that stuff I've tried is at best just good for mixing and at worst just god for looking at. ( Albertson's scotch: Uhg!). So far in my limited travels I have not found the mythical land of cheap good booze. The selection at private booze shops is better than any of the state ones I've been in. In WA if you want something special you usally need to get a case of it.

For mixers and syrups and straws and li'l umbrellas I go to Bargreen Ellingson (1275 Mercer). They have some Trader Vic's stuff (which is a line of products I'm not fond of) and the best prices in town on Coco Lopez, sweet lime juice, orgeat, and grenadine. Eagle Bar Supply (2001 S Plum) has a wide variety of their own syrups which are fairly inexpensive. All the tropical fruity ones I've used have been good. They also have gallon size jars of maraschino cherries. (Sadly the three jars of orange, blue, and green cherries are just for show...Apparently they're popular overseas.) Cash and Carry has many locations and lots of syrups and various bar things.

thanks woofmutt.. i've written down those addresses..i ought to make a list to stock the (soon to be delivered) bar.

it is a little sad that booze shop closed down next to McPhee's, i like one stop shopping! i think thats why this state liquor store is so annoying, the store hours are late, and i often end up making a separate trip.

elicia

(Sadly the three jars of orange, blue, and green cherries are just for show...Apparently they're popular overseas.)

....hahahaha, the mysterious land of overseas. Would that be somewhere in Europe? My mom used those weird colored cherries in cakes but Trader Vic's Berlin doesn't serve green cherries as Mai Tai decoration.

The selection at the liquor stores in Seattle
is horrible! My in-laws just visited from California and they had to bring me rum and coconut snow that I can't find here. I'm hoping to take a trip to Vancouver andscore some Havana Club.

Ask around at the WA State stores...They can tell you if the booze you want is available at another store. Most of them cater to the tastes of their neighborhood. Clearly you live in the slums. (I'm kidding.) But it's true, the selection in WA is not as great as some of the vast private stores in other states.

The WA liquor stores can't carry coconut snow or any other item that doesn't have some amount of booze in it. I found a dried coconut cream powder at Uwajimaya in China Town. They also have some syrups and a few TV's items. And lots of Sake.

the WA state website is not bad, you can get the whole list of booze they have in stock. amazingly enough, theres a few bottles of Pisco in the Moai bottles available!

hey, im going to vancouver next week..is there a particular liquor store i should go to .. to find cuban rum??? whats the limit ~ i'll have 3 adults in the car, so maybe i can bring a bunch back!

elicia

You can call some government office to get info on bringing liquor back. I'd always thought the limit on Cuban products was zero. Just in case: Bring up some empty rum bottles and transfer the booze (I've heard of cigars being rebanded to get 'em out of Canada and Mexico)...Or maybe bring up rum labels, soak off the Cuban ones and stick on the others. Then strap the bottles to your body with duct tape. And sprinkle cayenne on your feet.

When I was last in BC booze was very expensive (even with the amazing dollar). In the shops I checked out all the hard liquor was dusty and ignored. And the selection was really cruddy, Maybe there is some aficionado store to shop in.

Here in Ohio, we have drive-thru liquor stores! Liquor and mixers are sold together in grocery stores (groceries sell lower proof liquors). In the last 3 or 4 years one of our privately owned liquor stores "absorbed" the State store 2 doors down. Hey, at least you guys have that whole Grunge thing! I keed, I keed!!!

On 2004-07-10 15:41, FreakBear wrote:
Here in Ohio, we have drive-thru liquor stores! Liquor and mixers are sold together in grocery stores (groceries sell lower proof liquors).

Growing up in Ohio in the 70s/80s, all liquor except beer and wine was only available in state liquor stores. Beer and wine wasn't regulated nearly as strictly as it is now, however.

As a result, I never sampled hard liquor until I moved to Florida in 1992 at age 23, but I had already spent 7 or 8 years absorbing cheap beer and wine coolers into my liver (yes, that math is correct).

The hard stuff was just too much of pain in the ass to get, no matter what your age. The state stores were too inconviniently located, and all closed at 5PM.

This might answer the original question about how it curbs problem drinkers. If you don't plan way ahead, you get nohing (and LIKE it!).

Here in Indiana, theres NO alcohol sales on Sunday, but Bars and resteraunts can sell. You see, its ok to get into your car and drive to get drunk and drive drunk back, but having a drink in your own home is a no-no.

Grocery and conveinience stores can only sell warm beer and wine coolers, and liquor stores cannot sell any cold sodas or juices.

no sunday sales here in WA state either ~ but at least the grocery stores can chill the wines and beers!

i'm using the WA website more, and it does seem like they have a huge variety of rums.

ooh and i went over to Canada and brought back 2 bottles of cuban rum.. will break into those next weekend!

elicia

On 2004-07-17 21:52, dogbytes wrote:
i went over to Canada and brought back 2 bottles of cuban rum.. will break into those next weekend!

DO'H!

I was just in Canada (drinkin' with Tikifish!) last month, and it didn't occur to me to grab some Cuban rum while I was there. Damn.

(But I did go by that big moai on the outskirts of Tornot, which, BTW is no longer pink).

Hey Tikibars,

What method did you use to smuggle in your rum?

i stashed the two bottles in the trunk, and just didnt claim it as we came across the border.

the agent seemed more concerned about us bringing in beef or eggs.

elicia

wow! You're very lucky Dogbytes, cuban rum is a huge no-no! Totally silly in my mind, but great score!

I've yet to open my Havana Club.

I live on the NH, MA line. It's hard to beat NH liquor store prices, and in the case of the bigger stores selection.

I haven't been able to find that Herbal Liquor I read about here though. NH stores don't sell beer. Mixers are easy enough to find. They are sold next to the beer and Wine in Grocery stores.

NH liquor stores are located within 10 miles of almost any location in the southern part of the state. In the "Great North Woods" section of NH, it might be harder, but on the seacoast, they are everywhere.