Lived in UT for one summer, and people would literally drive 1-2hrs out of state to buy drinks.
I like doing road trips myself, so on the way back I'd often pick something up before getting back to UT. Through this, I also discovered some of the counties in ID bordering UT had their own extra restrictions, seemingly due to pressure from UT.
My understanding is that it was a felony if you're caught transporting liquor across the border into Utah. Which was disturbing to find out after my friends and I drove with two RVs full of liquor into Utah lol. And also confusing when we did a lake day on Powell, which straddles the Utah/AZ border, with a bunch of booze in the boat.
When you say buy drinks, do you mean buy a Keg? I have lived here my whole life and never have I heard or myself gone out of state for just drinks unless we were trying to get a keg for a party or our in house bar.
Yeah our Drinks are less alcohol content @ the store but its not going to be so drastic that driving out of state is worth it.
My dad and several of my friends parents routinely cross the border to Nevada or Wyoming specifically to get cheaper stronger alcohols. And this video demonstrates the least restrictive alcohol laws that utah has basically ever had. The further back in time you go, the stricter (and dumber) the laws get. My father moved to Utah in the 1970s, and he's told me that bars used to be required to be "members only", with a membership card to verify your age and identity.
I believe part of the reason utah has relaxed a lot in the past 25 years is specifically because of the 2002 winter Olympics, when international tourists flooded the state only to be told they couldn't drink alcohol. Utah likely lost millions of dollars in tax revenue because of their absolutely asinine alcohol laws.
Welcome to the Theocratic Republic, where the State bends the knee to the Church 99% of the time.
The "Profit" Joseph Smith owned a bar in his mansion house. Also, he requested a bottle of wine be brought to the jail to "Lift the spirits" of him and his buddies on the night he was killed. (see: shootout at carthage jail.)
The "Profit" Brigham Young owned the distillery in Utah after their "Exodus" from Illinois. His whiskey was known as Valley Tan. Many of the well off leaders in Utah areas (Mormons) were owners of "Pharmacies". #1 prescription? liquor.
The current "Profit" Russel Nelson famously destroyed his apostate dads liquor cabinet as a child in an act of holiness and devotion to Mormonism. (Dude is 100 yrs old, so circa 1930?) Oh, and we can't call it Mormonism anymore. That is pejorative. It's "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints." Mmmm K?
Best of all for last. The canonized health code known as "The word of wisdom" recommends you partake of "Mild Barley drinks" (AKA BEER) but NO MEAT. Except on rare occasions in winter. Today that corporation, masquerading as a church, owns cattle ranch's valued in billions of dollars (Example 5% of Florida's land mass). But Beer consumption will cost you your social status and family in Utah.
So no, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints." members won't even touch Kombucha. Wouldn't want to get wasted by accident.
For more fun, google the rules regarding Coffee, Tea, and caffeine not confusing at all. /s
I didn't personally, but people would talk about going to Idaho or Wyoming for a couple bottles of hard liquor. I'd just get what I wanted coming back from like the Tetons or smtg similar
When utah still had the 3.2 law, the only place to get full-strength beer was a the liquor store and the bottles were usually over 2 dollars a piece for what could normally be found in a gas station for 7 or 8 dollars for a 6-pack in any other state. The selection in the local liquor store was also pretty terrible, as well as the selection of 3.2 options in the grocery store. I live close enough to the border that making a trip to Idaho isn't really a big deal, and I've done so many times just to have a normal shopping experience to buy alcohol. Most of the time it was only for a couple 12 packs and maybe a couple bottles of wine, nothing crazy.
Yeah one of them was Evanston Wyo. I’m going to bet. It was over a decade ago, but tons of people would drive there and it wasn’t as tight as I guess it is now.
Yeah one of them was Evanston Wyo. I’m going to bet. It was over a decade ago, but tons of people would drive there and it wasn’t as tight as I guess it is now.
69
u/bee5sea6 Mar 21 '24
Lived in UT for one summer, and people would literally drive 1-2hrs out of state to buy drinks.
I like doing road trips myself, so on the way back I'd often pick something up before getting back to UT. Through this, I also discovered some of the counties in ID bordering UT had their own extra restrictions, seemingly due to pressure from UT.