15 Alcohol Laws in the U.S. You Won’t Believe Are Real
America has an interesting relationship with alcohol. We love our wine, beer, and whiskey, but our puritanical roots sometimes make it hard to enjoy.
At one point, we banned the stuff altogether (hello, prohibition). And, while most of the country is fairly permissive about a tipple or two today, strange laws still remain on many state books.
From prohibiting TVs in taprooms to regulating alcohol sales by temperature, state legislators have found many weird ways to restrict consumption. Here are some of the most bizarre and sometimes illogical laws about alcohol in the U.S.
1: No Entertainment

In Alaska, brewery taprooms are for drinking only. TVs, games, and other forms of entertainment are forbidden by law.
If this sounds strangely strict, it is, but it was even worse before. As of January 1, 2024, taprooms can have four live concerts per year. TVs are still a big no, though.
2: Private Club Exceptions

Arkansas is home to 29 dry counties, but there’s a loophole. If you want to drink in one of these areas, we suggest you join a private club.
Private clubs of any type can sell alcohol in Arkansas, even within dry counties. The catch? They must have non-profit status and prove they have a reason to exist beyond selling drinks.
3: A Bar Is Not a Tavern

You might think the terms bar and tavern are synonymous, and in most areas of the U.S., they are. In Connecticut, though, the two words have different legal meanings.
Taverns in Connecticut typically serve food, and by law, they cannot serve alcohol above 6% alcohol by volume (ABV). Bars, on the other hand, don’t have to serve food and can serve any type of alcohol they want.
4: Keep It in a Cooler Please

California’s liquor laws are pretty liberal compared to other states, but they still have a few quirky requirements. For example, stores can’t display alcohol within five feet of a cash register unless it’s in a secure cooler.
California liquor sellers can’t display their items in open ice tubs, even if they’re far from a register or check-out area. Gas stations and grocery stores that sell gas also can’t advertise their alcohol offerings on fuel islands.
5: No Drinking and Dancing

In Newark, New Jersey, you can’t drink and dance on Main Street, per municipal code. The city actually banned all dance floors and any type of “floor entertainment that encourages dancing” along its main walkway.
Luckily, there are a few establishments that were grandfathered in under the law. So, if you want to drink and dance, you can still find some places that offer the experience.
6: Sober Sundays

The U.S. may value separation of church and state, but that didn’t stop many jurisdictions from enacting Sunday blue laws. These laws often completely forbid alcohol sales on Sundays or don’t allow alcohol purchases until after typical church services are over.
Many states have repealed these laws in recent years, but a few, like Utah and Mississippi, still have them on the books. In other states, a number of counties have enacted their own blue laws.
7: Alcohol and Hurricanes Don’t Mix

If a hurricane lands in Florida, residents may find they can’t purchase alcohol anymore. During a state of emergency, such as a hurricane, the state governor has the right to ban alcohol sales, as do local governments.
The law’s reasoning was that residents needed to be sober during an emergency situation. The state also hoped to limit popular “hurricane parties.”
8: Temp Check

In Indiana, they regulate alcohol sales by temperature. Only liquor stores can sell refrigerated drinks containing alcohol. Grocery stores have to sell their beer and liquor at room temp.
Lawmakers feared residents who could purchase a cold one at any grocery store would be tempted to open it on their way to their cars. Indiana is the only state that uses temperature as a means of regulation.
9: Drive-Thru Liquor

Drinking and driving is illegal in the U.S., but many states allow you to purchase alcohol in a drive-thru. In some states, you can even purchase ready-to-drink beverages.
For example, in Louisiana, you can get a frozen daiquiri in a drive-thru. If you get pulled over, you just have to have one less open alcoholic beverage than the number of people in the car, presumably to show the driver isn’t partaking.
10: Dry By Default

According to World Population Review, three U.S. states are dry by default. In Tennessee, Kansas, and Mississippi, all counties are alcohol-free unless they vote against it.
In other states, counties must vote to block alcohol sales. Thirty-three states allow local jurisdictions to become dry, while the rest must abide by state law.
11: No Happy Hour Here

Many restaurants profit from happy hour, but several states have banned it. Worried about overconsumption by overly happy patrons, these states have forbidden discounting alcohol sales at certain hours of the day.
In Alaska, Indiana, Massachusetts, and five other states, you won’t find happy hour on the menu, at least not when it comes to alcohol. Restaurants may be able to discount other items to lure the after-work crowd.
12: Micro Distillery Means Micro

Minnesota means it when they call it a micro distillery. If the small distilling operation becomes too popular, they could face a hefty tax.
Micro distilleries that exceed 40,000 gallons in a calendar year are subject to an excise tax and a massive increase in their licensing fees. This encourages the best small-batch distilleries to leave for neighboring states.
13: Small Pours

Distillery tours are always a good time unless you’re in Montana. The state puts harsh restrictions on what you can taste at distilleries.
Per Montana law, distilleries can’t offer more than a two-ounce pour per person per day. That’s not a two-ounce pour of each spirit they distill, either. It’s total.
14: No Drunk Tanks

Leave it to Nevada to have permissive intoxication laws. The state prohibits any local jurisdictions from making public intoxication a crime.
That said, if you do something illegal while drunk, you’re apt to be arrested. So, feel free to have a few too many in the Silver State; just don’t break any laws.
15: Kids Allowed Sometimes

Head to Washington State, and you might notice something strange. Minors aren’t allowed in bars or taverns, even if they serve food.
However, you’ll notice every brewery is packed with families. Some even have playgrounds outside! That’s because breweries in Washington can allow children, creating a weird exception to the no-minors law.
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