Outdated Alcohol Laws

A string of recent court cases involving seemingly outdated prohibition laws still in effect today spurred us wondering, what are some of the late prohibition laws still in effect around the country? Here are some of the more light-hearted ones we came across:

 

1. No Beer with Your Pretzel

In North Carolina, it is illegal for bars and restaurants to serve beer and pretzels simultaneously. While they can carry both items, they are not allowed to dish them out at the same time.

Reference: dumblaws.com

 

2. No Homemade Moonshine A-Brewing

Despite home brewing’s popularity, across all 50 states, home distilling is still illegal. The law likely spurred during prohibition to prevent bathtub liquors from trading hands, thus preventing all future DIY whiskey makers from pursuing their hobby.

Reference: NPR.org 

 

3. No Liquor on Sunday

Due to prohibition, or more due to religious beliefs that once governed the states, in Minnesota, it is still illegal to sell liquor for the entire day on Sunday., despite recent efforts to get the archaic law repealed. Kinda puts a damper on some people’s Super Bowl shenanigans!

Reference: twincities.com 

 

4. No Taking to the Polls After Taking to the Bottle

Until the polls close on Election Day, there is no indulging in alcoholic drinks for the states of Kentucky and South Carolina. Whether or not politicians are grateful for this law—well, that’s up to the numbers!

Reference: huffingtonpost.com

 

5. Santa Claus Doesn’t Push the Bottle

While Santa Claus can endorse Coca-Cola, he has a strict restriction on pushing alcohol. This goes not just for the man in red, but in some states like Washington D.C., it also pertains to anything referring to Easter, Holy Week, and even Mother’s Day.

Reference: law360.com

 

6. Moose Can’t Catch a Break

In Fairbanks, Alaska, where moose are prevalent, it appears it’s a little more pressing to ensure the sobriety of our big horned friends. So much so, in fact, that there was apparently a need to enact a law making it illegal to give a moose alcohol, regardless of if they’re 21 and over.

Reference: totallyuselessknowledge.com

 

7. Stay Grounded

In Kentucky, the state considers its residents sober, until the point when they start to teeter. You’re breaking the law once your feet “cannot hold onto the ground.” So before that next sip, take a seat, or look for the nearest handrail.

Reference: totallyuselessknowledge.com

Categories: Wine Trivia