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funnybunny
Saboten Bomber




Registered: 01/30/06
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Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA]
#7923641 - 01/24/08 10:13 AM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR2008012303400.html
Virginia's Sangria Ban At Issue in 2 Hearings
RICHMOND, Jan. 23 -- A Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control agent conducting a routine inspection in 2006 cited La Tasca Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria for violating an obscure 75-year-old state law:
It's illegal to serve sangria in Virginia.
The fruity cocktail of wine and brandy that is a must-have at Spanish restaurants violates a law that forbids mixing wine or beer with spirits. If convicted, a bartender could go to jail for a year.
"It's absolutely preposterous," said Robert Hall, general manager of Jaleo restaurant in Crystal City, which altered its sangria recipe last year after hearing the news about La Tasca. "What harm is this causing?"
The General Assembly, which began a 60-day legislative session this month, is considering whether to tweak the antiquated law to allow restaurants and bars to serve sangria made of more than wine.
A House subcommittee is scheduled to debate the bill Thursday.
"It just seems to make common sense that government should worry about big issues like transportation and not get too concerned about what people drink," said Del. Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria), who introduced the bill.
Since 1934, just after the national prohibition of alcohol was repealed, Virginia has had laws that prohibit mixing wine or beer with spirits and pre-mixing a drink with alcohol.
"We're a little nervous of expanding the law," said House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong (D-Henry), who served for 16 years on a committee that wrote alcohol laws. "We're a conservative state and a conservative legislature. Some of that's good. Some of it's bad."
The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control does not keep statistics on sangria citations, but officials estimate they have given out a handful in recent years.
Curtis Coleburn, the agency's chief operating officer, said his agents usually warn restaurants that they cannot serve sangria and other drinks that include wine or beer and spirits. But the agents generally do not cite them, because most do not know it is illegal.
Sangria is usually made with red wine, brandy and fruit. Other recipes call for additional liquors, such as vodka.
Hall said Jaleo changed the recipe for sangria at its Crystal City location, which serves up to 2,000 customers a week, but not at its District or Bethesda locations. He said some customers have noticed the difference in taste.
"It disturbs us," Hall said. "We can't offer real sangria."
It's not just sangria. Other popular drinks are also off-limits, including kir royals, which are made with sparkling wine, and boilermakers, which include beer and a shot of liquor. Also prohibited are a host of newly fashionable beer cocktails, but Ebbin's bill allows only sangria.
"It was something that caught us off guard. It is not something that has been on the radar for us," said Barrett Hardiman, director of government relations for the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, which represents about 1,100 restaurants in the state. "A lot of people are surprised. . . . It seems archaic to us."
Many of Virginia's ABC laws haven't changed since 1934, when the nation's attitude toward alcohol was different.
"They wanted to encourage people to drink less-intoxicating beverages," Coleburn said.
The state prohibits combining wine or beer and spirits and pre-mixing or storing drinks outside their original containers, except for those in approved frozen-drink dispensers.
Officials say the goal is to show customers that they are getting what they asked for and to show regulators that the alcohol has been purchased from the state, as is required in Virginia.
Violating the sangria code is a misdemeanor, punishable by a $2,500 fine or 12 months in jail.
La Tasca was charged with four violations Dec. 5, 2006, and fined $2,000, according to ABC documents. The case is not resolved because the restaurant is appealing. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday at ABC offices in Richmond.
Restaurant officials did not return repeated telephone calls for comment.
Sen. J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen (D-Fairfax) helped pass a law a few years ago when he served in the House on behalf of Korean restaurants that wanted to serve the traditional drink soju, a beverage made of sweet distilled alcohol.
"Sometimes I feel in Virginia we're still working off a prohibition mentality," Petersen said. "The rigid construct of state laws is not reflective of modern times."
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svasanvedana
johnson

Registered: 09/02/05
Posts: 47
Last seen: 13 years, 8 months
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: funnybunny]
#7923740 - 01/24/08 10:45 AM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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Reason #4345671 why Virginia sucks. Alcohol is insanely overpriced--especially at bars--and ABCs have a pathetic selection. I dont understand though how exactly its illegal to mix wine/beer with spirits. I can't remember the name (there's a couple variations on it with different liquids) but there's a drink that can be ordered at many bars in VA where you drop a shot of jager in a glass of beer. Shouldn't this be illegal? Also, though I never bothered to check the contents, I've seen bottles of sangria for sale at grocery stores before...(?)
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DragonChaser
Ice in Her Ass and Pussy


Registered: 04/27/06
Posts: 7,212
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: funnybunny]
#7923768 - 01/24/08 10:56 AM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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Very popular restaurants in Virginia, such as Plaza Azteca and Olive Garden serve sangria. Although their sangria might just be fruity wine with pieces of cut up fruit in it, I'm not sure. Either way, the law is ridiculous. You can buy wine or beer or liquor, but can't serve them mixed?
-------------------- My name is Mud
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YidakiMan
Stranger


Registered: 09/28/02
Posts: 2,023
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: svasanvedana]
#7923776 - 01/24/08 10:59 AM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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"Curtis Coleburn, the agency's chief operating officer, said his agents usually warn restaurants that they cannot serve sangria and other drinks that include wine or beer and spirits. But the agents generally do not cite them, because most do not know it is illegal."
Read between the lines and he's questioning the employment of the cop that issued these citations.
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2859558484
Growery is Better



Registered: 01/10/06
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: YidakiMan]
#7923841 - 01/24/08 11:21 AM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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OMG i cant rest until all sangria is off the streets...
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cactastic
You must be shroomin'

Registered: 12/09/07
Posts: 247
Loc: Earth
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: 2859558484]
#7923916 - 01/24/08 11:53 AM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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I didn't read much of it... But someone is actually spending their time to prosecute them??
-------------------- ▶ I'm on YT ▶ My 10+ year old Lophophoras that I grew from seed make the occasional appearance with lots of other cacti, succulents and houseplants.
 
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Madtowntripper
Sun-Beams out of Cucumbers



Registered: 03/06/03
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: cactastic]
#7924147 - 01/24/08 12:56 PM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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If you read it, you'll find out.
-------------------- After one comes, through contact with it's administrators, no longer to cherish greatly the law as a remedy in abuses, then the bottle becomes a sovereign means of direct action. If you cannot throw it at least you can always drink out of it. - Ernest Hemingway If it is life that you feel you are missing I can tell you where to find it. In the law courts, in business, in government. There is nothing occurring in the streets. Nothing but a dumbshow composed of the helpless and the impotent. -Cormac MacCarthy He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. - Aeschylus
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DragonChaser
Ice in Her Ass and Pussy


Registered: 04/27/06
Posts: 7,212
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: svasanvedana]
#7924291 - 01/24/08 01:40 PM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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Quote:
svasanvedana said: I can't remember the name (there's a couple variations on it with different liquids) but there's a drink that can be ordered at many bars in VA where you drop a shot of jager in a glass of beer. Shouldn't this be illegal?
You're talking about a "Jager Bomb", and yeah, you can get one at any bar or restaurant in VA.
-------------------- My name is Mud
Edited by DragonChaser (01/24/08 01:42 PM)
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Le_Canard
The Duk Abides


Registered: 05/16/03
Posts: 94,392
Loc: Earthfarm 1
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: 2859558484]
#7924814 - 01/24/08 03:46 PM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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Quote:
wowitch17 said: OMG i cant rest until all sangria is off the streets...
I know. There's been a rash of Sangria-fueled crime here in Tennessee.
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downlowfunk
Retired Festival Veteran


Registered: 09/25/04
Posts: 880
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Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: Le_Canard]
#7927325 - 01/24/08 10:46 PM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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sounds like it may of been a way of targeting foreigners, in this case the Spanish.
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Brainiac
Rogue Scientist



Registered: 04/29/06
Posts: 13,259
Loc: 與您的女朋
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: downlowfunk]
#7927362 - 01/24/08 10:52 PM (16 years, 8 days ago) |
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Ass backwards Alcohol laws.
In NC, you couldn't buy beer over 6% alc. But, you could go to the ABC store and buy 180% alc.
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Fair is Fair
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ManianFH
living in perverty


Registered: 07/06/04
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: Brainiac]
#7928127 - 01/25/08 01:46 AM (16 years, 7 days ago) |
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i hope they fry that bastard for trying to bring his culture into the streets of virginia. Redneck judges to the rescue!
-------------------- notapillow said: "you are going about this endeavor all wrong. clear your mind of useless fear and concern. buy the ticket, take the ride, and all that.... " ChrisWho said: "It's all about the journey, not the destination."
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rawtoxic
Stranger
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Re: Spanish traditional restaurant faces 1 year for serving spanish traditional drink [VA] [Re: ManianFH]
#7928605 - 01/25/08 06:04 AM (16 years, 7 days ago) |
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"It just seems to make common sense that government should worry about big issues like transportation and not get too concerned about what people drink," said Del. Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria), who introduced the bill.
Also not get too concerned about what people smoke
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