Here is why state laws require bottles to be smashed!

[jswordy]

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — An operator of TGI Fridays restaurants in New Jersey raided as part of Operation Swill has agreed to pay a $500,000 fine for serving customers cheap booze when they paid for top shelf.

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At one of the 29 businesses targeted, a mixture that included rubbing alcohol and caramel coloring was sold as scotch. In another, premium liquor bottles were refilled with water that was not even clean. The state never identified which restaurants or bars those were.

Full story...
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/NJ-TGI-Fridays-get-500K-fine-for-drink-switching-4697679.php

 

[LAgreeneyes]

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad we can't bring our own wine into restaurants. Then we would know exactly what we are drinking.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[wineforfun]

I was watching an episode of Bar Rescue and this exact thing was happening. The owner of the establishment was keeping his "high end" bottles and then filliing them up with the lesser quality stuff.

 

[olusteebus]

I'm am sure it happens all the time.

 

[Elmer]

We did the same thing as teenagers, when we raided parent's liquor cabinet.
We would fill up to make sure no one knew what we shouldnt have taken in the 1st place!

 

[jswordy]

We did the same thing as teenagers, when we raided parent's liquor cabinet.
We would fill up to make sure no one knew what we shouldnt have taken in the 1st place!

HAHAHAHA! You are describing my sister perfectly!

But "rubbing alcohol and caramel color"? Ugh. Rubbing alcohol can kill you.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Too bad we can't bring our own wine into restaurants.

Some restaurants you can, They will charge a corking charge of around $10 to $15 and is customary to give the waiter/waitress a taste.
This is mostly for high end wines that they do not sell. guess it would work with home made wine.
Check with the place you want to go to see if they do that.

 

[Rocky]

I'm am sure it happens all the time.

Now that the Statute of Limitations has run its course, I can say that I have seen this practice in bars which I tended going back to the 1960's. Not that it is any excuse or justification but in the bars I am aware of, we substituted a similar whiskey in bottles and took advantage of multiple case pricing. One in particular that I recall was Philadelphia Blended Whiskey. We would buy cases of this (and it came in quarts, not fifths) and pour it into the "front row" whiskeys like Seagrams 7, Calvert and Corby's, et al. The customer was getting a similar quality whiskey but not what he or she had ordered. Most of it was drunk with sours, ginger ale or club soda so it was never noticed. One would have to be a professional taster to tell the difference and the places I worked were "shot and a beer" type joints. It was somewhat underhanded but at least we weren't pouring it into premium or "upper shelf" whiskeys.

 

[jswordy]

Now that the Statute of Limitations has run its course, I can say that I have seen this practice in bars which I tended going back to the 1960's. Not that it is any excuse or justification but in the bars I am aware of, we substituted a similar whiskey in bottles and took advantage of multiple case pricing. One in particular that I recall was Philadelphia Blended Whiskey. We would buy cases of this (and it came in quarts, not fifths) and pour it into the "front row" whiskeys like Seagrams 7, Calvert and Corby's, et al. The customer was getting a similar quality whiskey but not what he or she had ordered. Most of it was drunk with sours, ginger ale or club soda so it was never noticed. One would have to be a professional taster to tell the difference and the places I worked were "shot and a beer" type joints. It was somewhat underhanded but at least we weren't pouring it into premium or "upper shelf" whiskeys.

If I was paying the call price and getting the house booze, I'd consider it underhanded. And the temptation is so great, as you point out, because most people do not drink it neat. That's why those bottles better be smashed in the states where I live and work.

BTW, that's why I never did call a brand at a bar, back when I frequented them. I figured most of the time I was getting house anyway and paying the diff for nothing.

 

[Rocky]

Jim, I am going to take you back to some real early pricing. We had 16 oz. drafts of local beer (Iron City, Duquesne, Fort Pitt or Tube City) for 10 cents! Two shots of any "front row" whiskey and a 10 oz. beer 50 cents! These were the mill towns around Pittsburgh like East Pittsburgh, Braddock, Pitcairn, Trafford, Homestead & McKeesport. During the good times when there were three shifts going (7-3, 3-11, 11-7), we would open at 6:00 AM and close at 1:00 AM and all three shifts would hit us after their work day.

I would also emphasize that we did not do this with any of the "good" stuff. If one ordered Old Grand Dad, Old Taylor, VO, etc. that is what they got. It was dishonest, no doubt, but at least it was not watered down liquor. As far as smashing the bottles, I don't know what the law is in Pennsylvania. I don't recall smashing bottles as a matter or course, but we did have a "bottle drop" that went into the basement and that usually broke them. It may have been the purpose of the bottle drop all along!

 

[TahunaJR]

I can not help but remember one of my favorite scenes/lines from the 70s/80s comedy WKRP in Cincinnati. Salesman Herb Tarlick was at his desk pouring from a bottle in a brown bag into an empty bottle of Chivas Regal. The program director, Andy Travis, walks in and asks "What are you doing Herb?" Herb calmly replies "Aging Scotch"!!!!!! Classic...

Joe R.

 

[jswordy]

Jim, I am going to take you back to some real early pricing. We had 16 oz. drafts of local beer (Iron City, Duquesne, Fort Pitt or Tube City) for 10 cents! Two shots of any "front row" whiskey and a 10 oz. beer 50 cents! These were the mill towns around Pittsburgh like East Pittsburgh, Braddock, Pitcairn, Trafford, Homestead & McKeesport. During the good times when there were three shifts going (7-3, 3-11, 11-7), we would open at 6:00 AM and close at 1:00 AM and all three shifts would hit us after their work day.

I would also emphasize that we did not do this with any of the "good" stuff. If one ordered Old Grand Dad, Old Taylor, VO, etc. that is what they got. It was dishonest, no doubt, but at least it was not watered down liquor. As far as smashing the bottles, I don't know what the law is in Pennsylvania. I don't recall smashing bottles as a matter or course, but we did have a "bottle drop" that went into the basement and that usually broke them. It may have been the purpose of the bottle drop all along!

My bar days were 1976-1982. This was in the ag factory towns of the Quad Cities, Illinois/Iowa. Think John Deere and (at the time) IH, which had the largest factory under one roof in the world there. My favorite joint would be packed at night Wednesdays cuz it was Ladies Night, and Friday and Saturday. 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. hours. Very tight standing room only, which was kind of nice if you were standing around a bunch of ladies. But I digress!

If you wanted a seat, better get there about 4:30. My drink, a rum and Coke (in an hourglass beer glass for regulars, and so full of rum you could see through it even in dim bar light) was 85 cents. They ran quarter beer specials (in a 10-ounce mug) all the time. You'd walk out to your car and pass 6 or 7 cars with steamed up windows that were swaying back and forth, and you'd smell this sweet smoke coming out of others.

The place was a zoo - but the owner made sure any hint of a fight was shut down right away, while also allowing people to get totally smashed to a level that would result in DUI incarceration these days.

I had a friend who owned an actual lion cub, little tiny thing he eventually gave to a zoo. Man, we would walk in there and he'd have that cub on his shoulder, and the women would flock from the far corners of the bar.

I have lots of stories, some of which are inappropriate for this site.

From 1983 on, life has been boring by comparison.

 

[DaveL]

Old grand dad as the good stuff? uugghhh

 

[Rocky]

Old grand dad as the good stuff? uugghhh

Dave, I am not a big Bourbon man (Rye Whiskey is my drink of choice) but Old Grand Dad was a 100 proof bourbon that was very popular in the area during the 60's and 70's. You have to remember these were mill towns. No one knew of Black Maple Hill, Woodford, Makers 46 or Eagle Rare.

 

[DaveL]

I guess it would be on par with a Wild turkey. this my non-budget everyday drinker. ( Well not everyday but you get what I mean.) You did name several of my favorite Good stuffs. I would add Blantons single barrel. I have a I have a nice collection of the corks somewhere. A few years ago I had some A H Hirsh around the house. mmmmmmmmmm

 

[JohnT]

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad we can't bring our own wine into restaurants. Then we would know exactly what we are drinking.

Thanks for sharing.

Being from NJ, this does not surprise me. We are so populated up here that honesty is sacrificed on the atlar of money.

The only places in NJ that do not allow "byo" are those that have a liquar license. This is not by law, but by each restaurant's policy.

In NJ, the cost of being allowed to sell booze is very expensive. In fact, many restaurants decide to opt out of getting a license all together. Instead, they simply allow their customers to bring their own.

These BYOB places are great! I find that they are very reasonable in price(since they do not have the cost of the license) and really focus on serving quality food (their only product offering).

Of the several BYO places in our town, "Binito's" is my favorite. Good, Itialian food, Outdoor Seating, and a glass of my very own... PRIMO!