Hike Booze Tax to Save Lives: Study

Finding a good bar is about the atmosphere— otherwise you might as well imbibe at home

(NEWSER) - You know a great bar when you're in one, Esquire posits. The magazine knows more than a few, from "Christ-this-is-a-dive" dives to classy cocktail lounges. He're a sample of their favorites, from around the country:

1. Mac's Club Deuce, Miami Beach, Florida
2. Callaghan's Irish Social Club, Mobile, Alabama
3. The Globe, Athens, Georgia

Drink offers the same benefits as wine: researchers

(NEWSER) - Beer lovers, rejoice: ale or lager in moderation is good for you, a new study suggests. It offers folic acid, calcium, vitamins, and iron, and its benefits match those of wine, the Daily Telegraph reports. The study of 1,249 men and women older than 57 found that those who drank beer regularly and moderately—think small glass instead of a pint—had a lower risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. More»

Sure, the food is gross, but the wine might make up for it

(NEWSER) - At some hospitals, you just might be able to enjoy a glass of wine alongside your Jell-O and boiled carrots. Indiana’s Parkview Ortho Hospital is the latest to allow patients or family members to bring alcohol in—with doctor’s approval, of course—and it’s not the only one. According to the Association for Healthcare Foodservice, a Tennessee medical center and “many other healthcare facilities” stock beer, wine, and sometimes liquor, NPR reports. More»

Laura Wilson, 20, gets a 2-year timeout from booze

(USER SUBMITTED) - A 20-year-old woman is the first person ever banned from buying or drinking alcohol anywhere in England or Wales. The police issued Laura Hall a Drinking Banning Order, which prohibits her from entering bars, pubs, clubs, or other establishments that sell alcohol. If she does, she risks a $3,800 fine. Police say they're just trying to help. "We want to rehabilitate her rather than send her straight to jail, and hope the banning order will help Laura address her problems," said a police spokesman. Read the full article . More»

No drunk horseback riding in Colorado, and other weird rules

(NEWSER) - Growlers may be the new hipster trend , but good luck finding one in Alabama. Any beer bottle larger than 16 ounces is banned there, along with "sensuous" wine labels. That's just one of a dozen crazy liquor laws complied by Mother Jones :

• No sunrise mimosas in Alaska: you can't buy booze between 5am and 8am.
• Stay out of the driver's seat and the saddle if you've been imbibing in Colorado, where drunk horseback riding is illegal.