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Drink

Liquor | ID 30540890 © Jackbluee | Dreamstime.com

Alcohol

What If Fewer Americans Drinking Is a Bad Thing?

Moderate drinking might be bad for you. But it's also pretty fun.

Emma Camp | 8.19.2025 11:00 AM

An alcoholic cocktail | Photo by Evelina Wong on Unsplash

Alcohol

Be Skeptical of 'Beneficially Coercive' New Rules for Booze

A New York Times essay helps illustrate why the surgeon general's new report on alcohol and cancer leaves out crucial context and nuance.

Eric Boehm | 1.14.2025 7:00 AM

A woman in a bar holding a drink | Jose Carlos Ichiro/Westend61 GmbH/Newscom

Prohibition

The Secret Committee Behind America's Prohibition Comeback

Washington bureaucrats are rewriting the rules on drinking, and a hidden panel of unelected officials could be paving the way for Prohibition 2.0.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 8.10.2024 7:00 AM

A dead grape vine | imageBROKER/Sylvio Dittrich/Newscom

Regulation

The Government Is Choking Off Wineries

It seems anything the government touches dies—today, it’s thousands of acres of once-productive vineyards.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 7.27.2024 6:00 AM

dpstphotos149718947 | DPST/Newscom

Alcohol

Utah's Straw Test Crackdown

Bureaucratic overreach is stirring up unnecessary trouble for Utah bartenders.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 7.21.2024 6:00 AM

Two people clinking their beers at sunset | Photo by Wil Stewart on Unsplash

Alcohol

Will Banning Nonalcoholic Beer Save the Children?

No, but a Stanford psychologist says people under age 21 should be banned from buying some nonalcoholic drinks to protect kids from "drinking culture."

Eric Boehm | 6.21.2024 11:20 AM

plane | Illustration: Lex Villena; Danny Raustadt

Alcohol

Oh God, What If Congress Bans Drinking on Airplanes?

New research and paternalistic legislators could threaten our last in-flight comfort.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 6.8.2024 7:00 AM

golden alcohol drinks in glass mugs | Photo 55347617 © Goory | Dreamstime.com

Taxes

The Federal Government is Literally Taxing Air

Arcane tax rules based on carbonation levels are flattening the growth of America's craft cider industry.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 5.11.2024 7:00 AM

A glass of brown liquor tilted on a black background. | Lex Villena/Midjourney

Bureaucracy

How Michigan Lost $1 Million of Liquor

Sadly, not by drinking it—the government just lost a fifth of the state’s inventory.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 4.6.2024 7:00 AM

A photo of liquor bottles | Photo: Orkhan Farmanli/Unsplash

Bureaucracy

Liquor Regulators Are Seeking Revenge on Bars That Broke Pandemic Rules

"The people who violated the governor's mandates and orders should face some consequences," a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board member said in 2022.

Eric Boehm | 2.22.2024 6:00 AM

Liquor bottles behind a bar | Photo: Eaters Collective on Unsplash

Alcohol

Virginia May Finally Fix a Dumb Drink Law

The infamous food-beverage ratio may be reformed, but not abolished.

C. Jarrett Dieterle and Robert Melvin | 1.29.2024 12:15 PM

Bushwacker Cocktail | Photo: Peter Suderman

Drink

How the Bushwacker Cocktail Migrated to Florida

The Pensacola favorite gave rise to festivals and even a federal trademark case.

Peter Suderman | 12.7.2023 6:00 AM

The state of Florida on a checkered background | Illustration: Lex Villena

Florida

A Bonus Reason Roundtable Featuring Four 'Florida Men' of Our Own

Plus: The Reason webathon is happening right now. Donate so we can make more fun podcasts like this one!

Peter Suderman, Stephanie Slade, Zach Weissmueller, and C.J. Ciaramella | 11.30.2023 5:16 PM

Box of wine bottles in front of a shelf with wine | Photo 209204568 © Martins Pormanis | Dreamstime.com

Alcohol

New Research Shows Alcohol Delivery Is Not to Blame for Increased Drinking

There is no demonstrable link between alcohol delivery laws and our heightened pandemic drinking.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 4.20.2023 4:25 PM

A beer next to several driver's liscences | Illustration: Lex Villena

Regulation

Why Won't Maryland Sell Me a Goddamn Beer?

Maryland bars and restaurants have a tendency to turn away vertical ID holders. But there's no state law mandating this.

Emma Camp | 3.4.2023 8:00 AM

An illustration of the Oregon flag next to a full bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. | Illustration: Lex Villena; Pappy van Winkle

Alcohol

Oregon's Whiskey Ring Shows Perils of State Liquor Control

Top government officials reportedly kept rare bourbons for themselves and other powerful insiders.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 2.10.2023 11:00 AM

A shelf with a variety of alcohol on it behind a bar | Photo 104387328 / Alcohol © Radub85 | Dreamstime.com

Alcohol

What 2022 Taught Us About Freeing American Alcohol Markets

Reformers had two years of unprecedented victories—and then protectionists started using scare tactics to block them

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 12.27.2022 8:00 AM

Painted image of Pauline Sabin in front of a separate background image of liquor bottles on a bar. | Painting: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of her granddaughter, Sheila Morton Smith Cochran. Illustration: Lex Villena; Fedor Kondratenko.

Prohibition

The Woman Who Spearheaded Prohibition's Repeal

Pauline Sabin was a freedom-loving heroine.

Guy Bentley | 12.5.2022 11:45 AM

Bottles of wine in a box for delivery | Photo 162219276 © Steveheap | Dreamstime.com

Alcohol

States Stubbornly Slow To Fix Antiquated Alcohol Laws

In Colorado, you can have weed delivered to your door but not alcohol.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 11.16.2022 7:00 AM

A grocery store aisle of wine bottles | Photo 164801995 © Scaliger | Dreamstime.com

Regulation

Coloradans Might Fix Their Arcane Booze Rules

On the ballot in November, Coloradans can choose to have more alcohol in grocery stores and available for delivery.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 9.22.2022 4:25 PM

minisbabyformula_AlasdairJames_istock | Photo: AlasdairJames iStock

Drink

Review: The FDA's Awful Labeling Regulations Made the Baby Formula Shortage Worse

Elaborate labeling requirements blocked the importation of direly needed European baby formula.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 7.22.2022 6:30 AM

Volokh Conspiracy

The Volokh Conspiracy Merch You've Always Wanted

Or perhaps just a few items we thought readers might like.

Jonathan H. Adler |The Volokh Conspiracy | 5.27.2022 11:50 AM

zumaamericasfourteen465739 |  Andy Alfaro/ZUMA Press/Newscom

Alcohol

California Distillers Are About To Lose the Right To Ship Booze Directly to Consumers

Breweries and wineries can still do it, though.

Jacob Grier | 12.29.2021 2:45 PM

dpaphotosfour788588 | Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom

Alcohol

How COVID-19 Changed Alcohol Forever

At least 20 states will permanently allow to-go cocktails, and more may be coming.

C. Jarrett Dieterle and Chung Yi See | 12.3.2021 6:30 AM

book2 | Photo: Dragan Radojevic/iStock

Alcohol

Why We Drink

The anthropological roots of humanity's love of booze

Katrina Gulliver | 10.30.2021 6:00 AM

minicurrentcassis | Photo: Chelsie Craig

Food

Current Cassis

A new small-batch black currant liqueur from the Hudson Valley

Liz Wolfe | 3.5.2021 6:30 AM

krtphotoslive876914 | Brian Cassella/TNS/Newscom

Coronavirus

Closing Bars and Restaurants Didn't Stop People From Gathering

Now officials in Chicago and New York are reconsidering their rules.

Eric Boehm | 1.14.2021 4:10 PM

miniliquiddeath | Liquid Death

Drink

Liquid Death

Why merely quench your thirst when you could murder it instead?

Stephanie Slade | 1.8.2021 6:00 AM

minissweetreason | Sweet Reason Beverage Co.

Drink

Sweet Reason

Sweet Reason Beverage Co.'s marketing of the CBD content is so low-key as to make the chemical feel almost incidental.

Katherine Mangu-Ward | 7.24.2020 6:00 AM

childdrinking_1161x653 | Dunca Daniel / Dreamstime.com

Brickbats

Brickbat: Drink It Up

Charles Oliver | 11.4.2019 4:00 AM

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