A new drinking game: Figuring out what alcohol-serving places may be open in Ada County
For the past week, alcohol-serving businesses in Boise and Ada County, as well as their customers, can be forgiven for having whiplash trying to keep up with what could be open and what had to be closed.
After Central District Health ordered Ada County to move back to Idaho’s original Stage 3, and Boise Mayor Lauren McLean reinforced that with new city mandates, bars and nightclubs were told to close, and restaurants were told to close bar tops — even though the rest of the restaurant could remain open.
Breweries and wineries, originally left confused about where they fell in the closure orders, are still allowed to operate, it turns out. So you might not be able to drink at your favorite bar, but you can at your favorite brewery’s taproom.
“For the last couple of days it’s gone back and forth. We have had a lot of conflicting information,” said Collin Rudeen, of Boise Brewing, on Thursday evening. “But finally I think we are able to stay open.”
That is the case.
Central District Health’s order specified that bars and nightclubs had to close. A day later, McLean’s separate Boise order went further in naming types of businesses:
“All bars, taverns, nightclubs, private liquor clubs, taprooms, tasting rooms, mobile bars, cabarets, and saloons, as well as all other licensed premises for by the glass sales of alcoholic beverages ... and including nonmotorzied commercial touring services (i.e. bicycle bars), within the Boise City limits shall close to members, guests, patrons, customers and the general public for on-site consumption.”
Then the health district responded to inquiries by notifying breweries and wineries in Ada County that they could, in fact, be open.
“Please explain why CDH informed wineries and breweries today that they could indeed stay open but you are stating the opposite. This is the opposite of leadership,” said a tweet from Woodland Empire Ale Craft directed at McLean. “This is reckless and potentially cost local businesses dearly.”
McLean responded on Twitter to Woodland Empire, and to other businesses and individuals, that “breweries, taprooms, wineries and distilleries are exempt from Boise’s Public Health Order” — in spite of taprooms and tasting rooms being specifically listed in the original order.
An amended order was released by McLean on Thursday night providing clarification that bars, taverns, nightclubs and bike-bar locations must be closed, while breweries, wineries and distilleries are exempt.
The extra catch? Brewery taprooms are not licensed in the city of Boise, so it’s up to business owners to look at their business license to see whether they are a bar or brewery, and then understand how the orders affect them.
“People should know what kind of license they are licensed under,” said Karen Boe, communications director for the mayor’s office. “If they are licensed as a brewery in the city of Boise, then they are exempt.”
Restaurants, of course, may still sell alcohol, but their bar portions must be closed per the CDH order.
Confusion also has existed in Garden City. Mayor John Evans said the city is abiding by the CDH order affecting Ada County, which exempts wineries and breweries — and Garden City has many. He said they may be open as long as they continue to follow guidance on health precautions and social distancing.
Western Collective, for instance, which is open in Garden City, decided to postpone its Black is Beautiful Block Party originally scheduled for Saturday, but it still is releasing two new beers this weekend, it said on social media.
Barbarian Brewing has its main location in Garden City and a taproom in downtown Boise. A manager said Thursday night that both locations are open, in accordance with the new orders.
Evans told the Statesman that there is a clear distinction between breweries and bars.
“Wineries and breweries are retail and wholesale suppliers of their products. Many also have tasting rooms where samples by the glass are sold,” Evans said in an email. “Bars sell liquor/beer/wine by the glass and those that enter bars must be at least 21 years old. The two have completely different business models.”
