Doctored Liquor Legalized in California, Snooty Boozers Rejoice
In the ongoing saga of surprisingly good stuff from California Gov. Jerry Brown—remember "Not every human problem deserves a law"?—this happy news for the Golden State's snooty boozers:
It is no longer illegal for a California bartender to put a basil leaf in a bottle of gin.
On Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown of California announced that he had signed Senate Bill 32, which overturns a legal vestige of Prohibition that made it unlawful to infuse alcohol with fruits, vegetables, herbs or spices. Such infusions have been popular in the country's best cocktail bars for several years, and the old rule became a nuisance early last year when State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents started warning bars like San Francisco's Bourbon & Branch that they were breaking California law with their house-made tinctures and bitters.
And better still, you can get that drink you've been waiting for made with lemongrass-tobacco-bacon bitters (or whatever) tonight!
The bill contains an "urgency clause," which means bars can start slinging their infused concoctions immediately
Tim Cavanaugh reminds us that Gov. Brown's tenure has not been all libertarian sunshine and freedom lollipops.
And Reason.tv documents the plight of the less fortunate bartenders (and alkies) in Virginia:
