Those that frequent many of the newer drinking establishments around Salt Lake may have noticed that some places are now pouring wine from draft along with bottles. Now as most drinkers know wines are generally in the neighborhood of around 11% ABV, that's far above the average beer ABV that's about 6.5% to 7%.
What's the difference? they're all made the same way, wine is fermented grapes - beer is fermented grain. But there is another pub beverage out there that sometimes gets overlooked that's made from basic fermentation, Hard Ciders. Like beer and wine - ciders are a simple fermented beverage that occupy the same ABV range as beer. The only real difference is the ingredients. But the state of Utah sees a huge difference in these three fermented beverages, for some reason high point beer is just too fucking dangerous to be poured on draft at bars.
Starting today, you will start seeing high point ciders (Strongbow) - along with wine flowing from taps in some Utah bars in all of their high gravity glory. How does this contradictory shit come about? It gives me a migraine every time I try to wrap my head around the DABC's logic on these matters. Partially it revolves around highly uniformed people writing laws for an industry they barely tolerate and do their best to sweep under the rug.
Don't get me wrong, any little crumb of normalcy we can snatch up from the carpets of Utah's liquor chaos is more than welcome in my world, I just pine for a little consistency. So congrats to you, Utah adult beverage consumer - for the freedoms you have that you never knew you got (until they figure it out and take 'em away again) . Welcome to Utah 2014!
Cheers!
Pictured above: Strongbow Kegs courtesy of Whiskey Street
