Utah is not like other places; Utah does things differently. Most famously religion — it is where the Mormons settled, though, contrary to expectation, it is not a topic that comes up much, not unless you’re probing the cab drivers. But booze is done differently here, too. In the late 19th century, drinking was heavily discouraged; by 1920, bars and clubs were already so hidden away, so underground, that when Prohibition arrived, it seemed to make little difference to the state’s mood. Funny then, that the deciding vote to repeal the nationwide anti-drinking laws was cast by Utah itself.
A free-for-all did not ensue. In 1935, the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services took control of who sold what, where, when, and to whom — power the state still exercises. The rules are tight: draught beer can’t be more than 5 per cent ABV; food has to be ordered with a drink in restaurants; no one can sit with two of the same drinks in front of them. It used to be worse: bartenders had to work behind “Zion Curtains”, to ensure patrons couldn’t watch them at work. And once, to drink in a bar required club membership there. It’s not all bad: liquor stores can’t mark up the prices, so rare bottles, if the state has them, sell for less here than anywhere else in the country. There are Reddit threads from collectors planning their pilgrimages.
