One Day ago, Alabama’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) banned margaritas — and any other cocktail — sold by the pitcher, insisting that beer is the only alcoholic beverage that can be sold in the party-size vessels. The ABC’s justification is a bit of statutory code banning the adulteration, contamination, or fortification of booze except at bars and restaurants when a customer orders a chaser, mixed drink, or cocktail.
ABC government-relations manager Dean Argo told Alabama Local News that the ban helped thwart unscrupulous customers who may elect to down entire pitchers on their own, and also that booze doesn’t distribute evenly in pitchers. With the ban in effect, bars and restaurants could sell pitchers of margarita mix with shots of tequila on the side, and customers would just mix the drinks themselves, which is more of a work-around than anything.
The ABC must have seen the error of its ways. The ban, however, was not long for this world and has already been reversed. The backlash was swift once word got out, proving that Big Margaritaville is nothing if not well-organized and ready for a fight. Argo insists that a reversal was already under consideration, and, no, they swear it wasn’t because they were being mocked by margarita lovers around the world. Either way, it’s a win for the good people of Alabama.
This post has been updated to reflect the fact that ABC has reversed its ban.
