Oklahoma liquor laws

[catch22]

You mean you don't drink Pabst? You are not on the cutting edge of hip if you don't think PBR

PBR = hipster bait.

[Midtowner]

You mean you don't drink Pabst? You are not on the cutting edge of hip if you don't think PBR

Now why do y'all have to hate on PBR? The stuff is as delicious as the next lager and some places have some pretty great happy hour specials for it.

I think it's $2/can at VZD's.

[kevinpate]

PBR - the other whitetrash drink

[jerrywall]

Beer snobs. I love me my craft beers. I'd put my tasted beer list up against about anyone on here. I've completed 2 tours at Old Chicago and I've got a saucer on the ceiling at Flying Saucer in Addison. Heck, I plan vacations around visiting breweries and brew pubs. All that being said, PBR is my default beer of choice. I keep a keg of it in my bar on tap at home. It's easy to drink, goes well with a shot of whiskey, and is affordable, yet tastes better than similarly priced beers.

Now lost lake, ice house, and boxer beer? Uhg.

[Midtowner]

Now lost lake, ice house, and boxer beer? Uhg.

Minnesota's Be[a]st deserves a mention.

[RadicalModerate]

Old Milwaukee was way tastier and about the same price as Pabst Blue Ribbon.
I think that OM ("the beer for when you're jonesin' for a little taste o' karma or whatever"), pulled out of Oklahoma on account of our antiquated, Liquor Distribution Cartel fortified adult beverage purveyance laws.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:
All that should have to happen is for Wisconsin or Missouri to fax a copy of their regulations regarding these matters to Oklahoma and we--that is the clowns we elect to seats in the statehouse/crumbling capitol building--make it Local Law.

[Jersey Boss]

You mean you don't drink Pabst? You are not on the cutting edge of hip if you don't think PBR

At my age I'm more concerned about "waist" than hip. That being said I just can't buy a beer that does not maintain their own brewing facilities. Pabst sold out to Stroh's long ago and in their present form are nothing but a "name" of old brewed at a contract brewery.

[Midtowner]

Let's not labor under the illusion that it's a craft beer. It's just a lager and I'm sure it's brewed to specs which assure the taste and quality is as good as before.

[bluedogok]

Yep, you can find cheap PBR at places all over Denver, I still won't drink any of it.

[Plutonic Panda]

-Perhaps Pete or MMM ought to take the 2010 out of this thread and just name it to Official Oklahoma Liquor Law Thread-

"Garfield County voters approve Sunday alcohol sales
Garfield County voters approved a ballot measure Tuesday which will allow bars and restaurants to sell alcohol on Sundays and certain holidays.
By Bryan Dean Published: October 9, 2013

ENID — Garfield County voters approved a measure Tuesday that will allow restaurants and bars to sell alcoholic drinks on Sundays.

The measure passed during a special election with 4,089 people, or 68.7 percent, in favor of the proposition and 1,863, or 31.3 percent, against.

Backers of the proposition considered it an economic development issue, which will encourage more restaurants to locate in the Enid area''

Read more here: Garfield County voters approve Sunday alcohol sales | News OK

[bille]

Beer snobs. I love me my craft beers. I'd put my tasted beer list up against about anyone on here. I've completed 2 tours at Old Chicago and I've got a saucer on the ceiling at Flying Saucer in Addison. Heck, I plan vacations around visiting breweries and brew pubs. All that being said, PBR is my default beer of choice. I keep a keg of it in my bar on tap at home. It's easy to drink, goes well with a shot of whiskey, and is affordable, yet tastes better than similarly priced beers.

Now lost lake, ice house, and boxer beer? Uhg.

I agree I love, Love, LOVE craft beer. My love for it pushes me to homebrew even more as either I can't access certain craft beers and/or I can't afford to keep a craft beer keg of double IPA on tap at any given time like I can with homebrew. Having 6-8 kegs of craft beer on tap in my garage would litterally break the bank, with homebrew however it's much more realistic to do. Not that I don't buy craft beer, I sure buy my share of it too, just throwing that out there. That said, I still by Pabst quite a bit, it's my go-to summer beer. Even being a brewer I can't make an equivalent to it in any volume on the regular for the price I can just go and buy it (the same can be said for almost all mass-produced light lager).

-Perhaps Pete or MMM ought to take the 2010 out of this thread and just name it to Official Oklahoma Liquor Law Thread-

"Garfield County voters approve Sunday alcohol sales
Garfield County voters approved a ballot measure Tuesday which will allow bars and restaurants to sell alcohol on Sundays and certain holidays.
By Bryan Dean Published: October 9, 2013

ENID — Garfield County voters approved a measure Tuesday that will allow restaurants and bars to sell alcoholic drinks on Sundays.

The measure passed during a special election with 4,089 people, or 68.7 percent, in favor of the proposition and 1,863, or 31.3 percent, against.

Backers of the proposition considered it an economic development issue, which will encourage more restaurants to locate in the Enid area''

Read more here: Garfield County voters approve Sunday alcohol sales | News OK

I keep seeing this story being posted around and I don't understand the big deal? Garfield county is finally catching up with the majority?

[jerrywall]

I keep seeing this story being posted around and I don't understand the big deal? Garfield county is finally catching up with the majority?

I think it's relevant because if the populations of OKC metro and the tulsa metro alone could control our liquor laws, they'd be different. So when the more rural areas start catching up, it's a good thing. A decade ago, have the counties in Oklahoma were still dry counties (for liquor by the drink).

[Dubya61]

I keep seeing this story being posted around and I don't understand the big deal? Garfield county is finally catching up with the majority?

I think it's relevant because if the populations of OKC metro and the tulsa metro alone could control our liquor laws, they'd be different. So when the more rural areas start catching up, it's a good thing. A decade ago, have the counties in Oklahoma were still dry counties (for liquor by the drink).

I agree. The relevance is in the fact that Oklahoma Liquor Laws -- while something of a gordian knot of a labyrinth (a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma) -- may need review and updating, but getting approval from the voting public may not be such an uphill battle as some think.

[ctchandler]

Jerrywall,
Funny thing about PBR, when I was in the Philippines, the enlisted men's club was selling PBR for a nickel a can because they couldn't get rid of it. And I/we still didn't buy it. San Miguel was too good. As for beer lists, all I can do is estimate, but I think I have had over 200 different beers in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Cornwall. When we stopped at a pub, I always asked for a local brew (cask ale only), or one nearby and I didn't drink the same beer twice unless there was no choice. Ireland wasn't that good, too much Guinness. And I have had a few from brew pubs here in the states. Probably not as many as you have had.
C. T.

Beer snobs. I love me my craft beers. I'd put my tasted beer list up against about anyone on here. I've completed 2 tours at Old Chicago and I've got a saucer on the ceiling at Flying Saucer in Addison. Heck, I plan vacations around visiting breweries and brew pubs. All that being said, PBR is my default beer of choice. I keep a keg of it in my bar on tap at home. It's easy to drink, goes well with a shot of whiskey, and is affordable, yet tastes better than similarly priced beers.

Now lost lake, ice house, and boxer beer? Uhg.

[bluedogok]

The Great American Beer Festival started today here in Denver. They are expanding next year, hopefully I will be able to get a ticket, they sold out all 49,000 in 20 minutes this year. It is almost taking on a life of its own like SXSW has in Austin. There are so many more "non-sanctioned" events going on around town, for the SXSW music portion it dwarfs the main event anymore.

Denver Post - Great American Beer Festival bigger than ever, but is it better?

[bille]

I agree. The relevance is in the fact that Oklahoma Liquor Laws -- while something of a gordian knot of a labyrinth (a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma) -- may need review and updating, but getting approval from the voting public may not be such an uphill battle as some think.

Honestly I don't think the voting public is the issue with our intrusive, archaic, and assinine alcohol laws. I'm sure Jerry has a good idea of what the real hurdles are, yeah?

[Dubya61]

Honestly I don't think the voting public is the issue with our intrusive, archaic, and assinine alcohol laws. I'm sure Jerry has a good idea of what the real hurdles are, yeah?

RM would tell you (and it rings a bell with something from my youth) that there's a Liquor Cartel of some sorts here that ends of wagging the dog something fierce!

[Bunty]

I keep seeing this story being posted around and I don't understand the big deal? Garfield county is finally catching up with the majority?

Doing that was just a baby step while amazing it took so long. Probably it was simply due to plain apathy on the part of the public as to the main reason why. Apathy can sometimes rule for a very long time. It's even more amazing there are still some counties in Oklahoma where liquor by the drink is banned.

Democrat policies or lack of them from past rule is why state alcohol laws never reformed far enough to better suit the fact it's now the 21st century. Now that Republicans rule at the State Capitol, I sure wish they would have the good sense to correct the mistakes and negligence of past Democrat rule.

[Bunty]

Honestly I don't think the voting public is the issue with our intrusive, archaic, and assinine alcohol laws. I'm sure Jerry has a good idea of what the real hurdles are, yeah?

That's probably true. When was the last time a state wide vote failed to approve ending some prohibition against alcohol? My guess is that it was before 1984. Maybe the fear such proposals would be approved is why we don't get more opportunities to vote to end more prohibitive alcohol laws.

[jerrywall]

It's inertia, and it's slow to change. There also isn't lots of money to be found to lobby/advertise to change the laws, but there are always folks willing to put money towards keeping them the same.

The exceptions have been laws related to the winery and brewery industries, since those make money. But who's going to invest money in advertising for a law to let liquor stores be open an hour later (for example)?

From the legislative side, there's no political consequences in not changing the laws, but changing them brings up the potential for groups like MADD to run ads blaming you for dead bodies in the streets or any rise in drunk driving.

[bille]

But some of the laws inhibiting liquor stores such as cold storage or selling of non-alcoholic products would directly benefit all breweries, including the local ones.

I guess I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that there's more money in not allowing liquor stores to do/sell the above and keep it confined to C&P/grocers and <4% products. On the flip side I can very much see the wine industry pushing to get into those accounts and oddly enough, I think it will happen before we see cold storage, of course that's just a feeling, I know nothing of how this all works. That said, the cloud of moral doubt surrounding alcohol law changes turns to thick impenetrable fog when it focuses on beer or spirits. If only Jesus had turned water into beer or whiskey...

[jerrywall]

It may generate money, but those who would benefit the most don't have the cash resources to lobby.

Contrary to what folks may think, liquor retail operates on VERY slim margins, and besides the few exceptions such as Byrons, most liquor stores operate with very, very, little spare capital. It's not a business you get rich in. Most liquor store owners are just focused on staying in business, and have neither the time nor money to move a massive campaign. Much the same can be said for the in state brewing industry.

On the flip side, the grocery stores, gas stations, and the oil and gas industry in Oklahoma oppose refrigeration in liquor stores and do have the money and influence to prevent the change. You throw in the political weight of the anti DD groups, and you can see why these are slow changes.

I don't expect wine in grocery any time soon. That get's tricky, because it would require a total restructure of liquor laws in Oklahoma, and the liquor and wine industry. It's not as simple as just "allowing grocery to carry wine". ABLE would have to be totally revamped/re purposed, the wholesale/distributor system would have to be revamped, liquor licenses and their criteria would have to be totally rethought, and the process for getting them redone. Basically, it would require scrapping and completely redoing the entire packaged liquor laws and system in Oklahoma.

[onthestrip]

It may generate money, but those who would benefit the most don't have the cash resources to lobby.

Contrary to what folks may think, liquor retail operates on VERY slim margins, and besides the few exceptions such as Byrons, most liquor stores operate with very, very, little spare capital. It's not a business you get rich in. Most liquor store owners are just focused on staying in business, and have neither the time nor money to move a massive campaign. Much the same can be said for the in state brewing industry.

On the flip side, the grocery stores, gas stations, and the oil and gas industry in Oklahoma oppose refrigeration in liquor stores and do have the money and influence to prevent the change. You throw in the political weight of the anti DD groups, and you can see why these are slow changes.

I don't expect wine in grocery any time soon. That get's tricky, because it would require a total restructure of liquor laws in Oklahoma, and the liquor and wine industry. It's not as simple as just "allowing grocery to carry wine". ABLE would have to be totally revamped/re purposed, the wholesale/distributor system would have to be revamped, liquor licenses and their criteria would have to be totally rethought, and the process for getting them redone. Basically, it would require scrapping and completely redoing the entire packaged liquor laws and system in Oklahoma.

But we could allow liquor stores to sell other, higher margin items to help out. Let them sell mixers, drink accessories, ice and cigarettes. If we were to ever allow grocery stores to sell wine and high point beer than I think it would be a fair trade off for liquor stores to have the ability to sell other non-liquor items.

[jerrywall]

But we could allow liquor stores to sell other, higher margin items to help out. Let them sell mixers, drink accessories, ice and cigarettes. If we were to ever allow grocery stores to sell wine and high point beer than I think it would be a fair trade off for liquor stores to have the ability to sell other non-liquor items.

Oh, they'd love to. When we had a liquor store, we always wish we could. But my point is, making that change is difficult. It would require someone to invest money and time in lobbying/promoting for that change, (which was my point), two things the retail industry doesn't have.

[bluedogok]

Liquor laws aren't just screwed up in Oklahoma, they pretty much in every state and at the federal level. Especially for those in the business of liquor.

Boulder Daily Camera - Taps flowing again at Boulder's Mountain Sun after ill-timed beer seizure lifted