Not of age? Not a problem.
That’s what a Post probe found after sending our own baby-faced 20-year-old intern to try to buy booze at a string of Manhattan bars and bodegas — all of them already in trouble for selling to minors in the last year.
He got served at an astonishing 17 of 30 establishments — 57 percent — despite the stores and gin joints facing fines up to $10,000 and the loss of their state liquor licenses.
Many of the spots, selected randomly from among 132 places with underage State Liquor Authority violations from May 1, 2009 to May 1, 2010, never bothered to ask the college sophomore for his ID — a valid New Jersey driver’s license showing his birthday, Aug. 29, 1989.
The license also spells out in bold yellow letters “UNDER 21 UNTIL” his birth date, and, per New Jersey law, is orientated vertically instead of horizontally.
Others checked the ID and one even swiped it through an age-reading scanner — and then rang up drinks, including beer, malt liquor and hard booze anyway.
At Kate’s Joint, at 58 Ave. B, a female bartender asked for his ID, looked at the license briefly and poured the intern a Blue Moon draft, waving at the owner herself, Kate, as she sat at the bar, which had two signs cautioning that drinking was not legal for those under 21.
Her only question: “Would you like some orange wedges with that?”
A male bartender at Cosmic Cantina, at 99 Third Avenue, looked over the license before selling the intern a bottle of Dos Equis for $5. He then said, “This is for you,” and poured a free shot of tequila. When the intern walked out, the bartender encouraged him to take the open but untouched beer with him.
At Alphabet Lounge, a music venue at 104 Ave. C, the intern paid a $5 cover. “Wait,” said the bouncer. “You need this wristband if you want to drink.” Inside, he ordered a bottle of Bud Light and paid $5.
At the EZ Mini Mart, at 52 Rivington St., a clerk studied the ID and punched in some numbers on an adding machine before handing it back.
“Looks like 21” he said to the intern before selling him a 22-ounce bottle of Samuel Adams Boston Lager for $2.
Nine of the venues caught red-handed in The Post sting, including the Bollywood Corner deli, at 136 E. 28th St., denied selling to a minor.
“Nobody under 21 bought any beer here,” claimed an employee at a bodega at 666 Sixth Avenue, where the intern purchased a 24-ounce can of Budweiser.
Luis Fuentes, manager of Pranna, said, “I find that sort of hard to believe because we do have a very strong policy of carding anyone who looks under 30.”
Others conceded they goofed. “I’m sure whoever did it, of course, was wrong,” said Jonathan, a manager at Alphabet Lounge.
The SLA said it welcomed The Post’s findings. “We’ll be taking action against these folks,” said spokesman Mike Smith.
Cops and prosecutors briefed on The Post probe said the intern did not commit any violations because he didn’t drink alcohol, didn’t have a fake ID and didn’t lie about his age.
Bars and bodegas that served our underage intern alcohol:
* Eladio Silverio, a.k.a. Angelica, deli, 301 E. Houston St.
* EZ Mini Mart, deli, 52 Rivington St.
* J&K Deli Grocery, a.k.a. Esteves Grocery, 219 Eldridge St.
* Don Juan Deli Grocery, 110 Forsyth St.
* Quick Stop, deli, 390 Third Ave. Clerk looked at ID.
* Kate’s Joint, bar, 58 Ave. B. Bartender checked ID.
* St. Jerome’s, bar, (known as “Belly” on SLA summons), 155 Rivington St.
* Salt Bar, 29 Clinton St.
* Alphabet Lounge, bar, 104 Ave. C. Bouncer looked at ID.
* Sequoias Deli, 515 Second Ave. Clerk took ID.
* Cosmic Cantina, bar, 99 Third Ave. Bartender took ID.
* Pranna, restaurant, 97 Madison Ave.
* Crash Mansion, nightclub, 199 Bowery. Bouncer swiped ID.
* PS Plus Inc., a.k.a. Deli & Grocery, 666 Sixth Ave. Clerk took ID.
* Sagaponack Bar & Grill (summons under Star Bar), 4 W. 22nd St.
* Bollywood Corner, deli, 136 E. 28th St. Clerk looked at ID.
* Jin Won Food, deli, 575 Eighth Ave.
Additional reporting by Joseph Goldstein