Licensing Board slaps restaurant for serving hard liquor; says vodka wasn't infused enough to be a cordial
The Boston Licensing Board says the nature of the booze seized from Vlora was as clear as some of the bottles it came in: It was hard liquor, which the Albanian place on Boylston Street is not allowed to sell.
The board yesterday meted out a three-day license suspension for the restaurant for being caught serving mixed drinks at a private function on July 1. The restaurant, which is only licensed to sell beer, wine and liqueurs, was caught with a variety of bottles of vodka, rum, bourbon and whiskey.
Vlora used the same argument successfully raised by Cafe Meridian in East Boston when it was caught serving what appeared to be the hard stuff: That flavorings or sugar added to the bottles made the liquids liqueurs. But while the board agreed with Cafe Meridian that tequila mixed with liqueurs and vodka infused with anise are cordials, it ruled the Pinnacle Vodka and various other liquors seized at Vlora were not cordial enough.
The board also ordered the restaurant to shut down for one day for having nearly 50 more people inside than allowed by its occupancy permit. The board decided not to punish Vlora for having a DJ without a permit.
Vlora can decide when to shut its doors for the suspensions - if it doesn't appeal to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.
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Comments
So Meridian had vodka on site, right?
And Vlora had vodka on site. What was the difference again? Quality, or quantity, or what again?
Different types of vodka
The board decided the type of Pinnacle Vodka seized at Vlora didn't have enough extra flavorings/sugar to qualify as a cordial, while the stuff seized at Cafe Meridian was infused with enough ginger to
choke a horsequalify under the state definitions.It would not surprise me at all if we saw some sort of lawsuit over all this (not necessarily by Vlora, but somebody with money is going to get aggravated enough to sue).
Really That's How Liqueur Is Made
People who think the exemption for liqueur is some sort of bullshit technicality don't understand how liqueur is made-- and apparently never had grandparents who made their own. Also you can't just chug-a-lug the stuff to get a buzz off the vodka in it: the flavoring is far too strong. http://www.guntheranderson.com/liqueurs/apricotg.htm
but you *can* chug-a-lug plain vodka?
well, maybe you can... I can't. Although I've seen people do it. I always thought those same people would be able to do the same with liqueurs if they so desired.
Why, is it illegal to enforce laws capriciously
and inconsistently? Wish I knew that the last time I contested a traffic ticket. :)
Is it just me?
Or is Sgt. Mulvey a hottie?
Good one
Totally.
The sarge looks like
he's contemplating a cocktail
Neat or over ice?
mmmmmm Maker's Mark ....
Yes but what did they do with
Yes but what did they do with the seized booze?
donated it to Pine Street
donated it to Pine Street
What turns vodka into
What turns vodka into non-vodka for liquor license purposes?
Is it mixing it with stuff that lowers the alcohol content below a certain level? That would make the most sense.
Or is a flavor infusion enough to do it?