75 Years of Beer

By Keith Plocek Mon., Nov. 24 2008 at 7:15 AM

Categories: Booze, Robblog

Raise a glass and toast the 75th anniversary of the day that Texas ratified the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution repealing Prohibition. Although the national repeal of Prohibition did not become final until December 5, 1933, the beer industry salutes Texas on November 24th for bringing us one step closer to our frothy freedom.

The repeal of Prohibition came at the height of the Great Depression -- a time when the nation definitely needed a drink. According to the beer industry, the positive economic impact of Prohibition's repeal included the addition of 50,000 jobs nationwide in brewing and related industries, and $25 million in economic activity within 48 hours of repeal.

That was then. Today, the beer industry contributes $15.51 billion to the Texas economy and is responsible for 132,534 jobs, generating $4.43 billion in wages and benefits and more than $3.06 billion in taxes.

And now if the beer distributors of Texas and their lobbyists would just get out of the way and allow much needed changes in Texas beer laws, we would all drink happily ever after.

Cheers!

-- Robb Walsh

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