The story of craft beer in the United States cannot be told without exploring how Prohibition nearly halted almost 200 years of momentum built up by American brewers. According to the Brewers’ Association, it wasn’t until November 2015, 82 years after Prohibition ended, that the number of breweries in the United States finally returned to pre-Prohibition levels.
In some states throughout the Northeast, Midwest and Pacific Coast, Prohibition was just a 13-year dry spell. Once the 21st Amendment passed, many brewers across the United States were back in business. But in some states along the Gulf Coast, antiquated Prohibition-era laws are still lingering on the books, making brewing craft beer a challenge.
“Breweries were allowed [in Alabama], but they weren’t allowed to make beers over 6% ABV,” says Ryan Schamberger, owner of Big Beach Brewing located in Gulf Shores, Alabama which opened in October 2016. It wasn’t until 2009, when a grassroots organization called “Free the Hops” was able to overturn the law, that the maximum alcoholic volume of beer increased to 13.9%.
Southern flavor meets beach vibes at Big Beach Brewing — Photo courtesy of Big Beach Brewing Company
Other state laws aren’t so clear, leaving…
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