More than a century ago, when beer was at a then-height of popularity in America, factions of people began to feel it should not be legal.
The fear came from conservative Christians, women and others whose fears were that alcohol altered the minds of drinkers, if only temporarily, causing them to commit unlawful, sometimes violent acts. A woman named Carrie Nation (later calling herself Carry A. Nation, as her fame went to her head) led the temperance movement in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Regulation was not enough — and the result came about in 1919 in the form of Prohibition. The hatchet-wielding Nation, a Kentucky native who was known for busting up saloons, and her followers had won, and Americans were deprived of the right to freely drink any form of alcohol (legally, at least) for 14 long years.
And then, realizing that Prohibition only opened the floodgates for organized crime and bootleggers, the government relented. On Dec. 5, 1933, Prohibition was repealed. Nearly 100 years later, Americans are still celebrating this day, and one such celebration will happen this year at Against the Grain.
A new beer will be released called The Last Wort, which Against the Grain refers to as a Prohibition-style cocktail beer. It is described as an imperial pilsner (read: lots of alcohol) aged in gin barrels with chartreuse spices and maraschino cherries.
In addition, for you would-be bootleggers out there, Against the Grain also will raffle off a collection of home-brewing tools provided by Brewgrass Homebrew Supply, for those who dare to drink The Last Wort. Finally, as a tip of the cap to the depressed times during Prohibition, a special menu will feature bean soup and cornbread. Please leave your hatchets at home.
Mile Wide Turns One
Mile Wide Beer Co. celebrates its first birthday (Dec. 9 is the exact date) with a week of beers releases and more. On Dec. 6, the brewery’s first American sour, Quiet Science, will be unveiled, followed by a release of Uncle Disheveled, a popular coffee stout brewed with Highland Coffee Co. goods, which makes its return Dec. 7.
On Friday, Dec. 8, the brewery’s first saison hits the taps — it’s a hoppy collaboration with Perennial Artisan Ales of St. Louis. Smoke’N Cantina will be parked outside, serving up food to pair with your brews. And on the official birthday, Dec. 9, Uncle Disheveled will see its first can release. Take home a four-pack or two and stash them away to help you get through Christmas with the in-laws.
Free wings at Great Flood
They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, but on every NFL Sunday, Great Flood Brewing Co. is doing its best to prove that saying wrong. Starting at 1 p.m. to coincide with the early-game kickoff times, a limited supply of free wings will be available to all who stop by The Highlands taproom to take in the games, or to just enjoy a pint.
The wings are provided by Frank’s Meat and Produce, and should be a nice complement to your Find-a-Way IPA.
12 beers of Christmas at Flat 12
Flat 12 Bierwerks in Jeffersonville will celebrate the countdown to Christmas with beer this season. Starting Dec. 6, the brewery will release four beers per week until Christmas arrives, a celebration that beats the heck out of a tacky Hallmark card any day.
Week one releases have been announced, and they bring with them a hint of the holidays. Fireside Amber is infused with chipotle and cinnamon, while Starfruit of Bethlehem is a variant of the brewery’s Walkabout Pale Ale, with tangy starfruit in the mix.
Chocolate Mint Stout adds milk chocolate and peppermint in a nice, thick stout, while Tangerine Porter brings another winter warmer in the form of a Pogue’s Run Porter that gets a dash of tangerines in the blend.
As the Facebook event says, “Holiday cheer is mandatory, ugly sweaters are recommended, and a love of beer is an absolute must.”
Let’s go to the hop
A sock hop for Christmas? OK, it’s not the kind of sock hop your parents went to when they were wide-eyed teens. Great Flood has teamed up with Lexington’s West Sixth Brewing Co., plus out-of-staters Sweetwater, New Belgium and Terrapin to sponsor a bar crawl to benefit The Healing Place.
Socks will be collected at each stop, with donors getting a chance to win a raffle of brewery-donated items. The stops on the hop include Left Field Lounge, The Planet, Diamond Station, Dundee Tavern, Diorio’s, Migo and, finally, Great Flood. The raffle will be held at the final stop.
