Bluey Blog - Official Blog of Robert B. Bluey

Drink a Beer and Celebrate the Repeal of Prohibition

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition, a special event for my hometown brewery in Utica, N.Y., which sold the first beer after the Volstead Act was modified on April 7, 1933.

As the story goes, the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. sold the first bottle of Utica Club just 60 minutes after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill allowing for the legal consumption of beer. According to the brewery, “The first batch of Utica Club beer was immediately brought to the Hotel Utica, and their Head Chef brought a bottle into the ballroom. It was presented on a silver tray while the orchestra played, ‘Happy Days Are Here Again.’”

In the 75 years since Prohibition ended, beer has made a remarkable comeback. According to the Brewers Association, only half of U.S. breweries survived Prohibition. By 1978, there were only 42 breweries in America. Today, however, the trend is moving in the opposite direction. There are nearly 1,400 craft breweries in the United States.

The F.X. Matt Brewing Co. is one of the shining examples. Its line of Saranac products can be found across America, giving downtrodden Utica a reason to be proud.

Join me in having a beer (or two) tonight to celebrate.