Home Brews and Microbrews
"Home beer brewers seek changes to laws," 2012 newspaper article. Courtesy of the University of Kentucky Special Collections Library.
Microbreweries flourished in the United States before Prohibition. Without refrigeration, beer would have gone bad before it could be delivered any great distance, so most towns had a small brewery to serve the local population. Alcoholic beverages have been home-brewed for 7,000 years. During Prohibition, Americans continued home crafting beer and wine. While making beer was illegal, making wine and cider from fruit at home was protected under Section 29 of the Volstead Act. Post-prohibition, many home brewers began selling their beer at local bars, and the microbrewery was reborn.
Today, though states may restrict or prohibit the manufacture of alcoholic beverages, many people make beer, wine, cider, and other fermented drinks at home. They are no longer permitted to sell their potables, as alcohol brewed for public consumption is subject to federal government excise taxes. According to the Brewers Association, there are 1,195 Brewpubs, 790 Microbreweries, and 90 Regional Craft Breweries in the United States, including one in the White House. President Obama brews three varieties of beer, all made with honey from the White House beehive.
