Raise a glass, mug, can, bottle or flute to Utah’s liquor laws

News News | Dec 29, 2022

Utah is famous for its greatest snow on earth, but its reputation for enforcing somewhat confusing liquor laws has claimed some of that fame. To make the most of a family winter vacation, it's hard to know where to plan family dinners versus a night on the town with the grown-ups.

To better understand Utah's liquor laws, try breaking them down into three categories:

restaurant, bar, and purchasing liquor for entertaining.

Most restaurants in Park City and ski resorts offer a full bar. But in Utah, "restaurant" isn't just a dining location; it's a license. When an establishment is classified as a restaurant, patrons must order foodand drinks. The good news is that children are welcome in these locations. So order a plate of onion rings, and enjoy your cocktails.

Visiting Park City's taverns, bars, and pubs are great ways to get a "feel" for the local vibe and historiccharm. When locations have a "bar" license, patrons aren't required to order food along with their cocktails. However, saying no to a plate of buffalo wings, for instance, would be a big mistake. But patrons must be at least 21 to enter. And be prepared to show ID.

Entertaining friends and family in Park City, surrounded by beautiful mountain views, is a remarkable experience. But if holiday spirits are on the menu, a little preparation goes a long way. If you plan to host a party with an open bar, including wines from the quaint winery you discovered over the summer, you’ll need to prepare.

While most grocery stores offer various beers, wines and alcohol are sold through regulated state liquor stores and are closed on Sundays. Generally, the selection is good, but if you have a specific label in mind, consider using a wine brokerage service.

"Not every wine is available to order," warned Pamela Wood, a certified wine educator, a Societe Mondiale du Vin U.S.A. member, and Park City Wine Club president. "But if people use a service like Vin7000 or myself, we can look up the list on the Utah DAB site and find out what specialorders are available."

She added that special orders often take four to six weeks to arrive. Wood, who was recently inducted Professional du Vin of the La Chaine des Rotisseurs, can check if a winery has secured a permit to distribute to Utah. If a permit doesn't exist, ordering wine from that vineyard isn't possible. Fortunately, the selection continues to expand locally.

"We can actually find some really good wines in some of our wine stores down in Salt Lake that still surprise me," Wood said. But if you have your heart set on a particular label, Wood may be able to help.Email her at [email protected].

Utah's liquor laws may be a bit complicated, but with a little preparation, rules about holiday spirits won't damper your holiday plans.

• WASATCH BREWERY, 250 Main St., wasatchbeers.com, 435-649-0900• OFFSET BIER, 1755 Bonanza Dr., offsetbier.com, 435-659-7517• HIGH WEST DISTILLERY, 703 Park Ave. and 27649 Old Lincoln Highway in Wanship, 435-649-8300, highwest.com.• ALPINE DISTILLING, 7131 Silver Creek Road and 364 Main St., 435-200-9537 alpinedistilling.com• OLD TOWN CELLARS, 408 Main St., otcwines.com, 435-649-3759

• 1612 W. Ute Blvd. in Kimball Junction, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday• 1550 Snow Creek Drive, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday• 460 Swede Alley, noon-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday

To read more articles in the Park City Winter Adventure Guide 2022, click here.

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Readers around Park City and Summit County make the Park Record's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism. Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference. Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.