For 14 long dry years Americans could not legally drink beer. But on April 7, 1933 Americans could once again legally buy and drink beer, as long as the beer was less than 3.2% alcohol.
So did Prohibition end on April 7, 1933? Not a chance. Read on.
When President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act on March 23, 1933 he was essentially tweaking the definitions of the Volstead Act, the original name of the law which became the 18th Amendment. The Cullen-Harrison Act redefined the alcohol content of beer that was considered illegal. The original Volstead Act defined that anything above the level of .5% alcohol was illegal. The Cullen-Harrison Act redefined that number to 3.2 % So on April 7, 1933 the Cullen-Harrison Act became effective.
So is April 7 National Beer Day ? Conflicting evidence on this. Some, mainly beer companies or drinking establishments, say yes because it celebrates when beer returned to the American public. But others point out that there is already an American Beer Day in October. I maintain that Beer is much more important to have only one day set aside for it. So I decided to go to the experts. And my findings? Hallmark offers no greeting cards honoring American Beer Day. So that settles it. April 7 is not National Beer Day. If there was a ‘day’ for National Beer, Hallmark would be making money from it.
Footnote:
In researching this article I did uncover that April 7 is International Beaver Day. So lets raise a beer and salute the International Beaver….hmmm…I wonder….does that mean that Domestic Beavers get their own day? Ah what the heck, I’ll have a beer for all beavers!