<p>[Nation</a> & World | Sample the beer before you buy it | Seattle Times Newspaper](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2004274316&zsection_id=2003905675&slug=apbeertasting&date=20080311]Nation”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2004274316&zsection_id=2003905675&slug=apbeertasting&date=20080311)</p>
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<p>I wonder how many of these testers will come for seconds?</p>
<p>“But opponents contend the program sets a bad example by exposing children to alcohol consumption.” </p>
<p>The beer in our market is on the same aisle as the baby food, diapers and kids’ toys.</p>
<p>When our local grocery store opened ( in the same lot- there is also a small storefront that currently houses one other business and a bank.) they had wine tasting on weekends in the seperate building.</p>
<p>The local grocery co-op also hosts wine tastings, but you have to pay. ( they also get snacks)</p>
<p>We have rows and rows of wine bottles in many groceries in the Seattle area, not to mention the aisles at Costco. The been is kept in the cooler in the same aisle as the pop and potato chips.
I actually think it could be good- because children are going to see adults modeling responsible consumption- they aren’t going to be swilling wine coolers and then puking in aisle three. ( I tried not to take my kids to the grocery if I could help it anyway)</p>
<p>Didn’t I hear that in Ca they sell hard liquor in the grocery?</p>
<p>That’s right EK. Nothing says “California” like Ralph’s Vodka. </p>
<p>Does WA still only sell hard liquor in it’s own stores?</p>
<p>No booze stronger than week beer on our grocery stores (and I don’t like beer) 
So I don’t think we will be one of the 30 stores</p>
<p>as someone who lives in a state (the only one?) where liquor & wine is ONLY sold in state owned stores and beer is ONLY sold at beer distributors and bars, I always marvel at the fact the everywhere else, you can get baby food and booze in the same place.</p>
<p>Once you get used to it it seems very normal.</p>
<p>I was in England for 6 weeks dec/january because my Mum was diagnosed with Cancer. After her surgery I was going to get the bus to go back to her house and was feeling really low. Popped into a grocery store to buy some food and they were closing but were having a christmas ‘party’ for customers with free food samples and champagne and wine being handed out. Sure ended my miserable day with a happy hour. Then I had to negotiate the bus and walk home. Not really relevant to this thread but it brought it to my mind. Oh and i realized after I had been wondering around that it was an invitation ‘party’ but no one asked me when I came in. Someone was looking over me because not being let in would have added to my not very happy mood.</p>
<p>You only have to cross the Mighty Columbia to get all the sampling that you want at your neighborhood grocery. You can find me there between 4-5:30 Fridays. Typically 5 bottles at the import side and another 5 bottles at the domestic side. There are some very good imports and domestic wines at $12-16 range. And then there are some overpriced stuff at $18-28. </p>
<p>But you never know what is good if you haven’t discovered the bad. I am still looking.</p>
<p>In the years since we’ve lived in Texas, it’s gone from no wine availble to samples in the grocery store. Believe me, the teaspoon they serve you here wouldn’t get anyone too giddy. I tend to just slink past them and buy the cheap stuff…</p>
<p>In WA, all hard liquor sales are controlled by the state. And the stores close early, so if I need 200-proof ethanol for my experiments, I have to dash to the nearby liquor store before 6 pm and I’d better have my paperwork in order (I can’t even buy non-denatured ethanol from a scientific catalog without governmental permit in WA). All beer and wine can be freely found in regular supermarkets. Other states have different rules. When we were in Honolulu, H stood still for a few minutes gaping in awe at the isles of rums and vodkas at their local Costco.</p>
<p>I do not like to waste my money on a lousy bottle of wine, so H and I do our fair share of wine tasting when we visit Eastern Washington. While I’m somewhat happy that I may be able to “sample” the product before I buy it without going any further than my grocery store, I’m very curious how the 4-ounce rule will be enforced. I’d not want drunk people backing their cars into mine in the parking lot. We’ll see.</p>
<p>I had to get alcohol for something D was doing in biology- the Ballard liquor store is open till 9pm.</p>
<p>[Locate</a> Liquor Store - WA State Liquor Control Board](<a href=“http://www.liq.wa.gov/services/storesearch.asp]Locate”>http://www.liq.wa.gov/services/storesearch.asp)</p>
<p>She always tells me these things after dinner.</p>
<p>Some of our local grocery stores have wine tastings. At first I thought it was weird, but they sell wine in the stores, so why not? As long as they make sure customers don’t go overboard with the sampling…</p>