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The 21st Amendment

Ratified December 5, 1933
Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use there in of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

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A little over 100 years ago there were over 3,000 breweries in the United States, but then along came Prohibition. But the American brewing spirit persevered. 5 years after its repeal there were several hundred breweries producing beer. (source: Dr. Bill Sysak, Stone Brewing Co.)

Today in America, there are over 2,136 breweries — a number which is rapidly increasing, according the Brewers Association.

Although today is a very happy day in the history of the U.S. (for alcohol lovers), the effects of Prohibition still live on 79 years later. Nearly half of Mississippi’s counties are dry. Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Virginia and Texas all boast a high percentage of dry counties. Alaska has nearly 129 dry towns. And then, there are the hundreds of, often contradictory, state alcohol laws across the country that regulate the manufacturing and sale of alcohol. Here are some examples of these laws.

But, at the end of the day, even with how annoying some state laws might be, we can still be eternally grateful that we are not, in fact, experiencing a complete Prohibition (although, some regions might feel like they are).

In celebration of the 21st Amendment and support of the craft beer revolution, I thought it was only appropriate to share with the world a video that I, personally, believe truly encompasses the craft beer mentality and the passion of its biggest advocates.

“We must educate the average beer drinker. We must illuminate the possibilities. We must help and support our local breweries. We must spread the message. Introduce, educate, and illuminate the choices. Spread the message and declare with conviction:

I AM A CRAFT BEER DRINKER.”

I am a Craft Beer Drinker from New Brew Thursday on Vimeo

Written by Stephen Johnson : @darthweef
Directed by John Holzer : @johnholzer
Produced by New Brew Thursday : @newbrewthursday

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Today, however, I did get sent something of entertainment and interest. A random agency (who did not reveal their identity in the email) recently rolled out an entertaining infographic, illustrating some very important facts that lead up to the Volstead Act of 1920. Graphic is below (click on it for a larger version).

Thank goodness Prohibition is over. That is definitely something to drink to…

Via: Rehab International

The bill was vetoed by President Woodrow Wilson but overridden by Congress on the same day, October 28, 1919. The Volstead Act defined beer, wine, and other types of liquor as being illegal in the United States if the alcohol content of those beverages exceeded one-half of one percent. (Even cough syrup has to have more than that!!) In conjunction with the Eighteenth Amendment, the Volstead Act ushered in the Prohibition Era in America.

With the passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, brewers looked for other sources of revenue. By removing most or all of the alcohol from conventional beer, brewers were able to mass market a legal product labeled “cereal beverage,” but almost universally known as “near beer.”

These beverages carried colorful names such as Bevo, Chrismo, Graino, Barlo, Bravo, Becco, Cero, Gozo, Kippo, Lux-O, Milo, and Mulo. (Italian brewers perhaps?) By 1921, production of “near beer” had reached over 300 million gallons a year. Food critic Waverly Root described “near beer” as “such a wishy-washy, thin, ill-tasting, discouraging sort of slop that it might have been dreamed up by a Puritan Machiavelli with the intent of disgusting drinkers with genuine beer forever.”

On March 4, 1933, at the age of 51, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated president. In one of his first addresses to Congress as president, FDR announced his intention to modify the Volstead Act with the Beer and Wine Revenue Act. Congress passed the Beer and Wine Act n March 22, 1933 – just two days after FDR’s inauguration. (The man had a mission.)

Essentially, the Beer and Wine Revenue Act was another tax – BUT, it exempted both beer and wine from the Volstead Act, re-legalizing the manufacture and sales of beer and wine. It became effective on April 7, 1933.

The Beer and Wine Revenue act was followed, in December 1933, by the passage of the 21st Amendment, which officially ended Prohibition.

2008 marks the 75th year since the official end of Prohibition. The following is a list of important landmarks in the overturning of the Eighteenth Amendment.

March 22nd - Congress signs the Beer and Wine Revenue Act

April 7th – Beer and Wine Revenue Act officially goes into effect

December 5 – Twenty-first Amendment is ratified

On each of these dates, I suggest toasting a beer (or five) to good old President Frankie DR.

“This one’s for you Frankie DR. You’re my hero. Cheers!”