New Law in Kansas allows for Free Booze at retail stores.

Well this caught me off guard.  The other day I was in Kansas City, MO at the Grandslam Gas Station and I walked in to see a sample stand like you would see at any Sam's Club or Costco.  I thought this was kind of strange being that it was in a gas station/ liquor store.  What peaked my interest even more was that they were giving out liquor.  Not cheese or candy or something like that but liquor.  It wasn't even beer or wine it was flavored vodka.  They were giving out half shots of vodka!  At a gas station?!  Turns out in Missouri this is 100% legal.  So I got to looking and it looks like the law changed in
Kansas to make it legal here also.

This just doesn't make any sense that Kansas would loosen up laws that allow you to get free booze at a retail outlet but then tighten the reins on driving under the influence laws.  Not only is it strange but it’s just counterintuitive,  you can go into a store, take a free shot of hard alcohol and try some wine then get back in your car and drive away.  Now if you get pulled over and you refuse to take a breath test the law allow for criminal punishment.  These laws seem to advocate drinking and driving then harshly punish those who do the natural consequence of what the law is now making legal.  I'm not saying you should drink and drive but this just doesn't make sense to give people free alcohol at a place they obviously drove a car to, then turn around and hammer them when they exercise their constitutional right to not incriminate themselves.

Here is the article that brought my attention to the Kansas law change.


New Kansas law allows wine, beer, and sprits tastings in retail stores
Br: Dennis Schaefer

New Kansas legislation, effective July 1, 2012, will allow wine, beer and spirits tastings in retail liquor stores. This has long been the case in Missouri but now Kansas has come into the 21st century and will be able to compete, on an equal footing, with Missouri liquor stores.  Time to get out and see what Kansas wine, beer and spirits stores are up to.

Lukas Liquor Superstore is wasting no time in announcing that their Kansas location will begin a tasting schedule for their customers starting this Sunday, July 1st. To celebrate the new law, on Sunday afternoon they will be tasting Pearl vodka and a delicious variety of Naked Grape wines from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Then on Tuesday, July 3rd, the fresh new flavors of New Amsterdam vodka will be on the tasting card, as well as premium wines from Edna Valley Winery, Red Rock and Martin Codax, from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

At the original Rimman Liquors in Lenexa, they will be pouring Radler, which is a shandy brew consisting of 50% premium beer and 50% grapefruit or lemon soda and is the perfect summer thirst-quencher. It's also low in calories and low in alcohol (2.83%). That's on Tuesday, July 3, from 1:00 - 8:00 p.m. Also on the same tasting menu: a wonderful wine blend called Eccelstone, primarily focused on Pinot Gris and Grenache Blanc but with another half dozen grapes in the blend. It's aromatic and flowery, a touch sweet, and wonderfully refreshing.


At Rimman Liquors in Prairie Village, on July 3, from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m., their preferred pour is from Lagunitas Brewing and it's their special seasonal, Undercover Shut-Down Ale, which, by the way, is very limited. Also on the tasting card: a genuine Dunkel Weizen from Summit Brewery of St. Paul, Mn. It's similar to wheat beer, but darker with flavors of toffee and chocolate and hints of banana and clove.

Buckley’s Wine Market will be offering a sparkling wine tasting from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on July 1, though the specific bubblies weren't specified. Their new wine tastings will be regularly scheduled from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays and from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

Gomer's of Lenexa announced that it will be getting into the swing of things too, with a store tasting on Sunday, July 1, from 12:00 - 4:30 p.m. featuring Edna Valley Chardonnay, Solicello Moscato, A to Z Rose', Bridgeport Summer Squeeze and the new and wildly popular Bud Light's Lime-a-Rita.

Free wine tastings on the Kansas side of the Kansas City metro area this week at: Lukas Liquor Superstore, 7541 W. 119th St., Overland Park, Ks. 66213, 913-451-8030. Rimman Liquors of Lenexa, 15117 W. 87th St., Lenexa, Ks. 66219, 913-942-1604. Rimann Liquors of Prairie Village, 3917 Prairie Lane, Prairie Village Shopping Center, Prairie Village, Ks. 66208, 913-236-5311. Buckley's Wine Market, 8661 W. 135th St., Overland Park, Ks. 66223, 913-814-9463. Gomer's Lenexa, 12740 W. 87th St., Lenexa, Ks. 66215, 913-894-0600.