With little fanfare on August 7 the restaurant at Cheaha State Park became the first establishment in Cleburne County to serve cold beer and wine.

The restaurant has no bar and the beverages are brought to the table, having been poured in a locked storage room where each bottle of wine and can of beer is strictly accounted for.

No off-premise drinking is allowed and patrons are not even allowed to take an empty can or bottle outside the restaurant.

As part of the Alabama Beverage Control Board's Responsible Vendor Program, patrons are, no matter what their age, required to hand over their drivers' license to the server who then uses a portable black light to scan for possible fake IDs.

If a patron is denied service, the server must keep a record in a log, available to the ABC Board inspectors.

And with each serving of wine or beer priced at "resort prices" there is little chance anyone will buy enough to get drunk and have an accident going off the mountain.

Tammy Power, Cheaha State Park Lodge Manager, said it took the park about six months to get approval following their application and they are not taking any chances to lose their license.

"We're doing everything right by the book and the Responsible Vendor Program," she said.

Power explained that every shift a server is assigned to be in charge of beer and wine and that individual holds the key to unlock the storage room and coolers. Empty bottles and cans are placed in separate trash containers and available, if necessary, to be counted and matched with sales receipts by ABC Board inspectors.

Powers said they are in the process of trying to develop some local winery tours.