New Beer’s Eve

April 7th[lak]April 7th is annually celebrated as “National Beer Day[lak]National Beer Day” across the United States. Indeed, April 7, 1933, marked the day that federal Prohibition was relaxed to allow beer that was up to 3.2% alcohol by weight. At the stroke of midnight, raucous “New Beer’s Eve[lak]New Beer’s Eve” celebrations commenced in many cities across the nation. Previously impounded trucks were released from breweries to deliver beer to nearby watering holes, filled with thirsty patrons. Throngs gathered to cheer on the brewery trucks and trains as they began their journeys, often with a police escort guiding them through crowded streets. Drinking songs broke out spontaneously as steins and bottles were hoisted, and legal beer touched the lips of many Americans for the first time in more than 13 years. While 3.2 beer became legal in 20 states on April 7, it remained forbidden in 28 others where state prohibitory laws remained in effect. Over the next 6 months, 23 more states welcomed legal beer—and these later festivities were every bit as boisterous as those witnessed in the initial beer-legal states on April 7.