But what if minors began drinking warm beer? Then what?

Granted, if you're looking for contradictory and often hypocritical weirdness within codes regulating beverage alcohol, each state in the union has something unique (and often hilarious) to offer. This said, Indiana certainly does appear determined to remain decidedly more weird than most.

Court Rules on Cold Beer Restrictions (InsideINdianaBusiness.com)

A U.S. District Court has upheld a state law that does not allow convenience, grocery and pharmacy stores to sell cold beer. The Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association took the matter to court, claiming the law is unconstitutional because it favors one class of retailer over another. The organization says it will continue to fight for "fairness" in the marketplace.

Oh dear; fairness in alcohol vending. Unfortunately, the first commandment taught to all bureaucrats seeking to regulate human consumption of alcoholic drinks is that "Thou hast no obligation to be fair." Personally, I don't think it's fair for the Centerplates of the world to price gouge in sports venues.

As noted previously, I've no dog in the big box/groceries/convenience stores vs. traditional package stores fight, apart from detesting corporate/chain entities on general principle. But even I have learned something from Inside Indiana Business's report, underlined in the passage below.

Indiana remains the only state in the country that regulates beer sales based on temperature. The law does not apply to wine products, thus allowing convenience stores to sell these products cold. According to IPCA and its members, the law causes confusion among customers who are able to buy cold wine but are forced to purchase beer warm, even though wine products contain approximately double the amount of alcohol.

Proponents of regulating beer based on temperature claimed that liquor stores are better at preventing the sale of alcohol to minors.

Dude, it depends on what the temperature of "cold" is. Right?

Package store lobbyist says Hoosiers support restrictions on selling alcohol.

Our non-local chain newspaper recently erected a paywall, but s long as you're not a frequent visitor, you shouldn't have to tunnel through to read the article.

In it, Indiana's package store lobbyist makes the case against relaxing controls on the availability of alcohol in Indiana, which is to say, against the notion that Wal-Mart should be allowed to sell cold beer to go on a Sunday. Note that he cleverly avoids arguing along the lines of whether the best of all possible worlds includes this notion. Rather, it's about whether there should be regulation at the start.

I don't have a dog in this fight, so give it up for Steve Kohrman, "chairman of the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers, the industry voice for package liquor stores."

KOHRMAN: It's the same old argument

Heading into the 2014 legislative session in Indiana, the argument again is being made — in a tired and worn way — that Indiana’s laws controlling the sales of alcohol are outmoded, inconvenient and circumspect.

In reality, the restrictions on selling alcohol — both through administrative permitting rules and states laws — have been whittled away for years by massive retailers, big-box chains and gas stations that want to sell alcohol with as few restrictions as possible ...

... So do Hoosiers support selling alcohol everywhere, anytime by anyone? It just isn’t so. If this was a true advocacy movement with real consumers behind it, we doubt we’d be having this argument year after year.

Coming soon to a Hoosier legislature near you: Sunday alcohol sales, with huge question mark attached ...

Sikich's overview is one of the best I've read, given that  "booze on Sunday" in America is more totem for tribalism than topic for dispassionate discussion. The author duly notes the Sunday exceptions for Indiana's breweries and wineries. I might add that while the Brewers of Indiana Guild has interest in a few bits of legislation possibly being considered in 2013, this isn't one of them.

As a guild director, believe me when I say that we have our own side of the street to work -- and we're doing so. This particular issue isn't our fight.

Speaking personally, part of me is eternally annoyed that "moral" considerations as defined by religious interests should be a part of the Sunday equation. Another part entirely understands that small independent business will suffer if big boxes go into Sunday sales. I'm forever willing to sock it to the preachers and health fascists, and at the same time, giving an inch to mega-retail is odious to my own inner moral structure.

When I'm declared dictator, it's an easy call: Let the indie package stores open if they wish, and keep the chains shut. Then again, some might say I'm an extremist. In the end, Senator Alting probably is right: Change will be incremental, in bits and pieces, because such hesitancy truly reflects a state of division.

Need I add: Support your local breweries and wineries. That's the best solution, and it beats the Silver Bullet every damned time.

Sunday liquor sales battle brewing: An effort is afoot to change Indiana's law, but owners of liquor stores say the move would be devastating, by Chris Sikich (IndyStar)

Indiana is the toughest place in the nation to buy take-home beer or liquor on Sundays.

While most states limit Sunday alcohol sales in some ways, Hoosiers face the broadest restrictions.

Indiana prohibits Sunday sales of beer, wine and liquor at grocery and packaged liquor stores. Connecticut lifted a similar ban in May, leaving Indiana standing alone.

The longtime ban has remained in place for religious and economic reasons. And though it has been eroded somewhat in recent years, state lawmakers trying to do away with the ban this year aren't hopeful.

Food, drink, etc -- New Albany indies "inside the beltway."

NABC's graphics department, otherwise known as staff artist Tony Beard, has been updating the map normally situated to the left of the Bank Street Brewhouse door. I've helped him assemble this list, the purpose of which is to provide quasi-accurate food and drink information to passers-by. In the eventuality that we are not open on a particular day or at a certain time, it is that visitors will patronize another establishment and keep their expenditures local.

The main target is downtown because that's within short driving and walking (or biking) distance, but listings have been expanded to include independent local food and drink businesses inside the beltway. Take a look at the updated list. What are we missing?

Coffee

“Earth Friends Café & Coffee Bar” 3211 Grant Line Road (at Summit Square) 812-725-9393

“Quills Coffee” (coming in November 2011) 137 East Market Street

“Hobknobb Roasting Company” 419 State Street New Albany, IN 47150 (812) 944-4555 (also maintains a kiosk in the NA-FC Public Library)

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Sweets & Ice Cream

“Honey Creme Donut Shop” 514 Vincennes Street 812-945-2150

“Rookies Cookies” 310 Pearl Street (812) 948-8858

“Sweet Stuff Bakery” 323 East Spring Street 812-948-2507

“Zesto Ice Cream” (seasonal) 2740 Charlestown Road 812-944-6845

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Classic Taverns

“B & B Pub & Grill” 1423 Culbertson Avenue 812-725-9955

“Hitching Post Tavern” 115 West Market Street 812-945-8854

“Hugh E. Bir’s Cafe” 324 East Market Street 812-945-8884

“Pastime Grill & Pub” 424 East Market Street 812-945-9055

“Uptown Bar” 330 Vincennes Street 812-945-1850

“Vic’s Cafe” 1839 East Market Street 812-944-4338

“Vickie's Good Times Bar” 114 East Market Street 812-941-8000

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Package Beer, Wine and Liquor (no food)

“Bottles Unlimited” 427 State Street 812-945-6765 (also owns Uptown Liquors at 609 Vincennes Street)

“Bridge Liquors” 110 Knable Lane 812-949-6396

“Keg (New Albany)” 302 Pearl Street Suite B 812-948-0444

“Sunset Spirits” 2706 Paoli Pike 812-944-4031

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Pool Halls

“Jack’s” 3308 Plaza Drive 812-948-1600 FULL BAR/BAR FOOD

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Restaurants (with alcoholic beverages)

“(The) Bank Fusion Cuisine and Lounge” 203 East Main 812-944-1929 FUSION/LOUNGE/NIGHTCLUB

“Feast BBQ” (coming in Spring 2012) 116 West Main Street BARBECUE

"Habana Blues" 148 East Market St 812-944-9760 CUBAN

"(The) Irish Exit" 207 East Main Street 812-944-1929 IRISH PUB

“La Bocca Restaurant” 134 East Market Street 812-725-9495 ITALIAN

"La Rosita Mexican Grill" 336 Pearl Street 812-944-3620 MEXICAN

"Louis Le Français" 133 East Market Street 812-944-1222 FRENCH

“Mac’s Hideaway” 1636 Slate Run Road 812-945-4256 PUB GRUB

“NA Exchange pub + kitchen” 3306 Plaza Drive 812-948-6501 GASTROPUB

“NABC Bank Street Brewhouse” 415 Bank Street 812-725-9585 BREWERY/CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN … carry-out beer sales on Sunday

“River City Winery” 321 Pearl Street 812-945-9463 WINERY/ CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN … carry-out wine sales on Sunday

“Sam’s Food & Spirits” 3800 Payne Koehler Road 812-945-9757 AMERICAN

“Toast on Market” 141 East Market Street 812-941-8582 CONTEMPORARY BREAKFAST/LUNCH

“Tucker’s American Favorites” 2441 State Street 812-944-9999 SPORTS BAR

“Wick’s Pizza” 225 State Street 812-945-9425 PIZZA

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Restaurants (without alcoholic beverages)

“Dock Seafood” 1125 State Street 812-944-2951 FISH & SEAFOOD

“Jackson's Seafood” 400 West Main Street 812-945-3474 FISH & SEAFOOD

“Hing Wang Chinese Restaurant” 2123 Spring Street 812-542-2728 CHINESE

“Lancaster Cafeteria” 223 West 5th Street 812-949-2400 HOME COOKING

“Little Chef” 147 East Market Street 812-949-7567 CLASSIC DINER

Keg Liquors cops excellent C-J exposure.

It’s difficult to be an objective about press coverage when (a) I get so much of it and have for years, and (b) Todd Antz is the newer kid on the block even if he’s a relentless self-promotional genius … but seriously, Todd and Keg Liquors absolutely deserve wider renown of the sort prefaced by freelancer Marty Rosen’s weekend Courier-Journal profile.

Keg Liquors is King of the Beers

I’ve said this numerous times, and will again: In spite of the complete absence of time to make the changes necessary, Todd’s mounting success at good beer in the context of the package beer game has completely altered the premises that I followed in constructing the pub’s bottled beer list all those years ago.

There remains no compelling reason to stock as many bottles of what we stock now on an everyday basis. That paradigm has irrevocably changed, and we’ve been slow to adapt for a variety of reasons, most of them owing to being crazily busy in other areas (a good thing) and struck numb and dumb by inertia (not as good a thing). Todd’s in the position now to introduce product and conduct experiments in consumer preference with bottled beer in the way that we still do with draft. He and other package store operators have the entry-level segment covered, too.

As far as on-premise bottled choices go, we need to take the game to another level. I have some ideas. What I don’t have is time … but stay tuned. An long overdue makeover definitely is in the offing. In the meantime, it's great to know that two of the Louisville metro area's prime go-to beer spots are located in Indiana. Congrats to Todd and the Keg for the good words.