Yes, I have finally found my blog’s password. You are lucky or unlucky, I do not know yet. Since I have officially returned here, I thought it was only fitting that we talk about the most significant “return” in cocktail history: The Ending of Prohibition.

We all talked about, or read here about most correctly, the aesthetic of the 1920s: the hidden basement doors, the jazz, the bathtub gin, and the gangsters, the speakeasies. We watched all the movies about them. But have you ever wondered why it ended?

It was not just because people ar alcoholic or beer-thirts. It was most complicated than that.

As always, it was all about money!

As Abba says

” Money, money, money

Always sunny

In the rich man’s world”

But if the money cannot be found at there?

The biggest reason Prohibition ended was the Great Depression. In 1929, the stock market crashed and everyone became very poor. The government realized they had a big big problem:

• They were spending tonnes of dollars trying to catch people selling alcohol
• They were losing tonnes multiplies tonnes of dollars because they could not charge taxes on that alcohol.

Basically the government was broke. They realized that if they made alcohol legal again, they could tax it and use that money to build roads, schools like the governmental stuffs.

The Power of Mothers

Yes, wives supported that prohibition at first, because their husbands will stop to spend their all money at bar.

But, how about mothers?

Since, drinking alcohol, going to bar is now illegal, most young people think that is “cool”.

One lady, called Pauline Sabin, saw that thread. Illegal bars were more dangerous than the old normal, legal ones.

She started a group of mothers to fight against the ban. When the government saw that even mothers wanted alcohol back, they understand they need to change the law.

The Big Day

The end came in 1933. It started with the Presiden, Franklin D. Roosevelt. He said famously, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.” He allowed people to drink light beer first, and people were so happy that they stood long lines outside of breweries.

Then, on December 5, 1933, the law officially changes. It was the first time in American history that the government took back a major law they had passed before. At 5:32 PM, the dry years were over. People ran into the streets, bars opened their front door for the first time in 13 years. And the modern cocktail era was born.

Why I’m telling you this…

I’ve been away from this blog for a long time (since 2024!). Just like when Prohibition ended, it feels great to open the doors again.

I missed sharing these stories with you. I have missed talking about the history, the people, and the flavors that make cocktails so interesting. Now that I’ve “found my password,” I’m not going anywhere.

So, let’s have a drink together to celebrate.

What is the first drink you think of when you hear the word “celebration”? Tell me in the comments!