Repeal Day

This coming Wednesday, December 5^th, marks the 79^th anniversary of Repeal Day, an end to the years of civil delinquency & organized crime wrought by Prohibition.  Speaking as someone who sells, drinks, & adores beer, it’s hard to imagine a time when the production, distribution, & consumption of alcohol constituted illegal acts.  It’s humbling to reflect on this from time to time, as it becomes all too easy to take for granted the pleasures we indulge in, & get lost in the appreciation, criticism, even snobbery, of enjoying a finely brewed beer.  There but for the grace of God drink I...

As much damage as Prohibition did, it’s important to remember that it happened for a reason.  In hindsight, people like to point the finger at the “fantacism” of the temperance movement & to our country’s historically “Puritanical” persuasions as fueling the fire, but that’s only part of the story; the other part is that irresponsible drinking was (& is) causing a lot of people a lot of problems.  Was Prohibition the solution?  History proves not – it increased criminal activity & all the dangers associated with it.  But per capita consumption has never returned to its highest pre-Prohibition peak, & that residual moderation may have as much to do with conscientious consumption as it does guilt or Puritan mores. 

The irony is that, for a long time, beer was the friend of the temperance movement – it was seen as a moderate alternative to the prevailing “devils” of gin, whiskey, & rum (more on lager & Prohibition in a later posting).  But beer, too, fell under the ax of the 18^th Amendment, & was vilified with its stronger cousins.  As much as we love brew & the joys of imbibing, it’s important to balance that self with mindfulness & responsibility.  BeerAdvocate’s motto is “Respect beer”, a profound sentiment that beer should be loved, revered, & not abused or exploited.  Treated with respect for its gifts of indulgence & the risks of over-indulgence.  Repeal Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on this, to celebrate the good that beer can bring to our lives while also observing the need for care & balance, & to not take such a great thing for granted.