Texas bars caught substituting alcohol

Multiple bars and restaurants were caught substituting alcohol in 2015. >> Click the gallery to see the locations cited by TABC. Multiple bars and restaurants were caught substituting alcohol in 2015. >> Click the gallery to see the locations cited by TABC. Photo: Fairfax Media Photo: Fairfax Media Image 1 of / 44 Caption Close Texas bars caught substituting alcohol 1 / 44 Back to Gallery

When bar patrons sign off on top-shelf tabs at the end of the night, they do so with the understanding that they purchased quality alcohol. But a recent Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission sting shows bar-goers may not be getting what they pay for.

Bars located in cities such as Conroe, Katy, Dallas, San Antonio, and College Station, to name a few, have been issued warnings in the agency's effort to identify retailers who substitute top-shelf alcohol with low-end brands.

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Bokeeters Cocktail Bar in Conroe and EinStein's Pub in Katy were both found to be in violation. Chris Porter, spokesperson for the TABC, said another bar in violation out of Conroe should be named later this week. Five more bars in the Houston area are being heavily investigated, Porter said, and the names of those establishments could be revealed in a few weeks after alcohol sample results are in.

Operation Bottoms Up began in April 2015 with samples from 68 licensed retailers statewide. Undercover investigators go to bars and order top-shelf alcohol by name. Testing showed 40 samples from 21 of the 68 sellers had substituted liquor.

Bars cited in the sting were issued violations such as "Brand Substitution" or "Place or Manner." With brand substitution violations, TABC was able to confirm the specific brand used instead of what was ordered. Place and manner citations were issued in these cases when the brand could not immediately be identified, Porter said.

Click through the slideshow to see more Texas bars that have been caught substituting alcohol.

*Editor's note: The headline on this story has been updated for clarity.