Remembering When Booze Was Back

Posted by Baylen on Apr. 7, 2008

I’m not 100 years old, so I don’t actually remember when FDR–convinced he should at least do one thing right during his seven or eight presidential terms–put the final nail in Prohibition on this date in 1933.

At Pabst Brewing Co. in Milwaukee, thousands of onlookers cheered as company employees hoisted barrels and crates onto trucks. About 800 people stood in the rain outside the White House, watching as a man hopped out of his vehicle and unloaded two cases of beer. Secret Service agents accepted the goods, a gift for the chief executive from one of the nation’s brewers. “President Roosevelt,” read a sign on the side of the truck, “the first real beer is yours.”

None of that highbrow PBR for me. I’ll be celebrating tonight the same way I did last night: with some damn fine Mickey’s Malt Liquor widemouths.

More on the end of Prohibition here and here.

My friend Sean Higgins interviewed the head of the U.S. Prohibition Party–yep, that’s a political party fighting to ban booze–last year for the unabashedly awesome Modern Drunkard.

Update: For accuracy’s sake, instead of “booze,” I should have stated “low-alcohol beer was back,” as Jacob rightly notes in comments.

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  • Not quite the end of Prohibition. Low alcohol beer got a head start before the repeal of the Volstead Act. We still get to look forward to an all out drunkfest for the actual 75th anniversary of Repeal Day on December 5!
  • J
    Long live the wide mouth!!!
  • It was crazy to think that alcohol was illegal. It makes you think about when Marijuana becomes legal, how we will look back at this era and wonder why it previously wasn't.

    Dan (20+ years sober)

    Have fun, but be careful :))
  • As long as intoxicated people who does crazy stuff proliferates, then prohibition will just be a repetitive issue. Too much of something is bad as we all know, and we must adhere to the disciplinary rules of society for a better living experience for all.
  • Looking back, it's good to feel sober, but occasional drink is not too bad. Unless you're a bad drunk or have a hard time in keeping it in moderation.
  • It's an interesting theory, but let's really think about it for a minute. A world without legalized alcohol would have eventually lead to people living their lives without it. Now we have countless health care issues and deaths because of booze. By saying that legalizing pot is going to lead to this magical land of rainbows and unicorns is flat out crazy! Keep vigilant and support people who find treatment at a marijuana rehab facility.
  • Everyone on this board seems to agree that "everything in moderation" is the best course of action. But the problem is, for many people there's no such thing as moderation. The people who need our attention the most are those who are unable to control their drinking - and continue to engage in this behavior despite an understanding that it is doing them harm.
  • remberance story to share. About 800 people stood in the rain outside the White House, watching as a man hopped out of his vehicle and unloaded two cases of beer. Secret Service agents accepted the goods, a gift for the chief executive from one of the nation’s brewers. “President Roosevelt,” read a sign on the side of the truck, “the first real beer is yours.”
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