OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Agents with the state's alcoholic beverages agency say a Facebook ad promising free beer for teachers led to a raid.The ABLE Commission raided Patriarch Craft Beer House and Lawn after they announced they had two kegs of beer ready for teachers. In a Facebook post Sunday, the beer house said “We believe in and support our local public school teachers!! Starting at 3:00 Tuesday, we’ve split the bill with Roughtail Brewing to offer free pours of “Respect Party,” a Belgian table beer from RT! Come help us kill 2 kegs EPS teachers!! (Side note, other school districts are welcome as well. Just wanted to show love to our home town teachers!)”
An officer with the ABLE Commission saw the ad and the agency told FOX 25 he did not recognize the name on the beer label. That led the officer to go to Patriarch on Tuesday where they found two kegs of high-point beer that were not properly registered.
According to the ABLE Commission the brewery had not paid a “brand registration fee” for the beer that was to be given away to teachers. So, the ABLE officers took the donated teacher beer and issued a citation to Patriarch.
Patriarch said it had no comment on the ABLE Commission's action, but posted Wednesday that a brewery came forward with cans of “light” beer for teachers.
The ABLE Commission added that it is against the state’s “Happy Hour” laws for bars to give away high-point beer or liquor to anyone, even teachers.
Patriarch will have a chance to contest the citation once the ABLE Commission files its formal case.
