Liquor board announces pilot program for grocery store wine, beer tastings

Thirty grocery stores across Washington will offer wine and beer tastings beginning Oct. 1 as part of a year-long pilot program by the state liquor control board.

State lawmakers called for the pilot during the 2008 legislative session, and the liquor board will submit a report in December 2009 that includes public complaints and comments.

Each store must hold at least six tastings during the pilot and is limited to one tasting a month. Beer and wine samples will be two ounces or less, and a customer can have up to four ounces, the liquor board said. Store employees must be able to see participants to make sure that minors and people who are intoxicated do not take part.

Liquor enforcement officers will attend each store's first tasting, the board said, and continue to make announced and unannounced visits during the pilot.

The public can make comments and ask questions beginning Aug. 14 using the e-mail tastingpilot@liq.wa.gov.

The pilot will include seven Safeway stores, five Fred Meyer and QFC stores (which are owned by Kroger), two Haggen and Top Food & Drug stores and one Albertsons. The chains are still deciding which of their stores will participate.

The remaining 15 stores are independently owned. The following list is tentative, pending verification of each store's eligibility, the liquor board said:

Dave's Market Place, 669 Lincoln Ave. E., Tenino

Tacoma Boys, 5602 6th Ave., Tacoma

West Seattle Thriftway, 4201 S.W. Morgan St., Seattle

Stadium Thriftway, 618 N. 1st St., Tacoma

Everett Grocery Outlet, 710 S.E. Everett Mall Way, Everett

Matthew's at Lakemont, 4989 Lakemont Blvd. S.E., Bellevue

Blaine Cost Cutter, 1733 H St., Blaine

Anacortes Food Pavilion, 1519 Commercial Ave., Anacortes

Metropolitan Market, 1618 SW Dash Point Rd., Federal Way

Metropolitan Market, 2420 N. Proctor, Tacoma

Lynnwood Grocery Outlet, 19800 44th Ave. W., Lynnwood

Vashon Thriftway, 9740 S.W. Bank Rd., Vashon

Denny's Harvest Foods, 215 E. S.R. 902, Medical Lake

Cowiche Harvest Foods, 16850 Summitview Rd., Cowiche

Rosauer's Super Market, 1808 W. 3rd Ave., Spokane

Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312 or mallison@seattletimes.com