Cheers to National Beer Day held annually on April 7. Let’s all raise a glass to the wonderful day in 1933 when the Cullen–Harrison Act came into force, changing beer history. This act changed the definition of “intoxicating liquors” by reducing the alcohol content percentage to around 4 percent. This allowed people to enjoy moderate ABV beer legally despite Prohibition, which would eventually be repealed later in the same year. Prohibition’s popularity was waning because, well everyone loves beer, so it’s not surprising that change was in the air, setting the stage for National Beer Day. But how exactly did it come about?
Prohibition generally banned “intoxicating liquors,” defined as anything containing more than 0.5% alcohol. The law was amended in 1933 by the Cullen-Harrison Act to raise the threshold enough to allow the production of mild beer, that with up to 3.2% alcohol.
Famous Words
When he signed the legislation, Franklin Roosevelt made his famous remark, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.” We couldn’t agree more! And neither could the general public who were more than ready to start drinking their favorite beverages legally once again. Thus National Beer Day was born.
Cheers to National Beer Day and New Beer’s Eve
The law went into effect on April 7, and a thirsty populace began gathering outside breweries the night before, now known as “New Beer’s Eve.” On that first day, 1.5 million barrels of beer were consumed. That’s a lot of beer!
While the Cullen-Harrison Act was not the official end of prohibition in the U.S., it was the first step in its demise which happened on December 5 of the same year when the 21st Amendment was ratified. As such, National Beer Day on April 7 is a beer-specific holiday as opposed to Repeal Day, which celebrates the ability to legally consume all alcoholic beverages and was a happy day for all Kansas City breweries and drinking establishments!
So cheers to beer, celebrating National Beer Day and our freedom to enjoy it responsibly. Stop by either location today to enjoy one of our delicious craft beers on tap or in cans to go.
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Rochester Brewing and Roasting is Kansas City’s first craft beer brewery and coffee roastery under one roof. We’ve created welcoming spaces to gather for the best of both worlds – a Kansas City brewery and Kansas City coffee shop – all in one place. Our head coffee roaster sources the best quality coffee beans, roasting each batch meticulously to bring out the coffee’s unique character. Our head brewer blends the art and science behind brewing beer to create a rotating slate of beer styles, focusing on tradition with an eye on innovation. You can find local KC coffee beans for sale here, and our current beer tap list online.
We would love to see you in person to pour you a cold one or whip up one of our popular specialty coffees. We also have a rotating menu of delicious sandwiches, breakfast burritos and fresh-made-in-house pastries and donuts. Stop by our spacious Kansas City brewery and coffee shop, located in the city’s vibrant Crossroads Art District. Or check out our charming Parkville coffee shop and brewery, located inside two vintage train cars. We also host public and private events at the Crossroads location ~ details on our spacious Kansas City event space can be found on our website. Both locations are open day and night, so come early for the coffee, stay late for the beer!