Prohibition

Prohibition was (in this author's humble opinion) one of the most embarrassing chapters of American history. The temperance movement - with its roots in fundamentalist religion - was little more than an attempt to have the morality of a few religious zealots codified into a law affecting an entire nation. Furthermore, because beer and wine were associated with immigrant cultures - Italians, Germans, Irish, Catholics - the temperance movement carried with it a certain bigotry as well. This bigotry also helped revive the Ku Klux Klan. Prohibitionists, the most famous of which was Carrie Nation, even took their paternalism to violent extremes and acted outside the law by physically destroying local bars and taverns well before Prohibition became law. Once Prohibition became law, bootleggers and crime syndicates throughout the nation profited tremendously off of supplying beer and alcohol to the still-thirsty masses. The explosion of these criminal organizations had far-reaching effects well into the late 20th century.

The effects of Prohibition on America's brewing industry were staggering. In 1912, American breweries were producing a total of 4.2 million barrels of beer annually. As the temperance movement gained momentum and popularity, that number dropped suddenly to 2.2 million by 1918. Anti-German sentiment as a result of World War I also contributed to the decline in the brewing industry that was dominated by German lager brewers. In January 1920, the United States ratified the 18th Amendment to the Constitution which prohibited the manufacture, transport or sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States. In February 1920, the Volstead Act was enacted in order to enforce the 18th Amendment. Putting hundreds of smaller breweries, vineyards and distilleries out of business, only the larger breweries who adapted to the changing times survived Prohibition. Breweries did whatever they could to avoid closing. Busch, Miller, Coors, Schlitz and Pabst each developed and marketed a non-alcoholic near beer.

As the Great Depression set in in the early 1930's, it was clear to many Americans that Prohibition had failed and support for the temperance movement quickly waned. Some states had already begun repealing their own prohibitionist laws leaving enforcement of the 18th Amendment up to federal officials. In 1932, Franklin Roosevelt's campaigned for the presidency on the promise of repealing Prohibition. Franklin was elected in a landslide and in December 1933, the 21st Amendment was ratified effectively ending the "Noble Experiment." Unfortunately, of the nearly 1600 breweries open in 1920 only 750 re-opened after Prohibition ended. However, after Prohibition, and especially after World War II, two words epitomized the brewing industry in America - expansion and consolidation.