In Salt Lake City where Mormon (Church of Later Day Saints) values are tied into every day life, there is a peculiarity in the bar scene for tourists not of that faith.
Bar memberships.
Oh sure, we’ve all heard of private after-hours clubs here in Philadelphia, but this isn’t the same. It’s not about advantage; it’s about encumbering alcohol, or perhaps the sin of drinking. To even enter a bar, especially one fully stocked with both beer AND LIQUOR, you must be a member. This can cost as little as $4 for a 3 month membership or $13 to $30 for a yearly membership. You don’t HAVE TO be a member to drink at a bar establishment, but you have to enter with one.
New liquor laws passed several months ago have pulled malt drinks like Mike’s Hard Lemonade from grocery stores and state-run liquor stores.
Goodness Gracious!! Should a Good Upstanding Mormon wander into a store looking to wet his whistle he might be erroneously deceived!
Sidecars are banned.
Martinis contain one ounce of alcohol. Ewww.
No wonder when I asked for Stoli Bluberri on the rocks they looked at me like I was crazy.
For anyone who visits Salt Lake however, please hit up The Bayou (true Beervana) on 645 State Street, their extensive beer list made me believe I truly saw the face of God. He resides in a frothy Aventinus doppelbock.
For more information on these laws visit here.
Last but not least, would you ever support something like this in Philadelphia??
hah. Why do I even ask?
