The Rest of the Century
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Beer Here
by Erika Goedrich
The History of Beer
People have been fermenting grains to produce beer for more than 5,000 years. Christian monks began brewing beer as a means of revenue for their monasteries. Rob Dillon, homebrewer and former owner of a homebrewing supply store, says there was no exchange of information at this time. Because the monasteries were self-sufficient, the monks wanted to maintain the revenues for their own monasteries and therefore did not share any brewing secrets or techniques with others.
However, people outside the monasteries soon learned the brewing process. Dillon says these people formed guild houses, sharing their resources and information, hence improving the quality of beer. New technology was also developed, and brewers realized they could brew at lower temperatures, allowing them to create a lighter beer, such as pilsener.
In America, immigrants started breweries that produced the flavor of their home countries. Dillon says at that time people were not using hops to preserve beer. Therefore, beer didn't travel well, so people began making their own. Before Prohibition, hundreds of small regional breweries tailored to different ethnic groups sprung up around the country.
In 1919, Amendment XVIII outlawed the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages. Those breweries that could make something other than beer survived, but many went for broke. Prohibition was repealed in 1933 by Amendment XXI, but other factors were taking a toll on beer. Dillon says the Great Depression caused many more breweries to close. Then came World War II, which Dillon says had two lasting impacts on beer brewing. First, it caused more breweries to close because the metal equipment used in brewing was now needed for the war effort. Second, many men were engaged in the armed services, leaving women as the primary consumers of beer. Women wanted a beer that was lighter in taste and color, so breweries began using adjuncts in the beer. Dillon says the mass marketed American beer products of Coors, Miller and Bud emerged from this.
Though homebrewing of wine was federally legalized with the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, homebrewing beer was not recognized. It wasn't until 1978 that Jimmy Carter signed a bill legalizing the manufacture of beer at home. The law states a household with only one adult can brew up to 100 gallons of beer per year, while a household with two or more adults cannot exceed 200 gallons.
However,
the Constitution gives states the authority to regulate alcohol production,
transportation and possession. Although it is recognized by federal statute,
home production of beer may violate state law. According to American
Homebrewers Association (AHA) 33 states have legalized homebrewing
while 10 do "not statutorily recognize" homebrewing. In most
cases, there is not a law stating people can't homebrew, but there are
statutes specifically stating a person can make wine and cider at home.
Homebrewing beer was never included in the law because there was no reason
to. Homebrewing is "possibly permitted" in seven states, meaning
no law exists legalizing homebrewing, but some court decisions seem to
say it is legal. AHA started the Homebrew
Legalization Campaign that is working to legally permit homebrewing
in all 50 states. As for brewpubs, 
they are against the law in only two states: Montana and Mississippi.