20th Century


After the getting rid of Prohibition, and having American industrial power well and truly consolidated, it was time for Big Beer.  Now, in the craft beer renaissance, we might look down our noses at those regular, undifferentiated brews, as dull and soulless.  But you can’t say that they weren’t popular.  Nor was it a simple matter of those beers being the only available ones; plenty of small, local brews tried their luck when the 18th Amendment was repealed, but for the most part they didn’t have a long life into the 20th century.  What were the secrets of Big Beer’s success?  Did they actually have any, or were they just able to take advantage of the coincidentally favorable circumstances?  How did the image of the beer drinker compare to the pitiable lush of Prohibition pushers and the humble, deserving new American of the century before?

Drink along?  Any macro will do!


Después de salir de la jaula de la Ley Seca y tener su control sobre el poder industrial americano fijado, el momento de Big Beer llegó.  Ahora, en la explosión de cerveza artesana, es posible que miremos por encima del hombro a esas normales cervezas, sin distinciones entre sí, pensándolas aburridas y sin alma.  Lo que no podemos decir es que no eran populares.  Tampoco se trata de que simplemente eran las únicas en el mercado - bastantes cervecerías pequeñas probaron su suerte cuando la Ley Seca desapareció, pero en general no duraron mucho.  Cuáles son los secretos del éxito de Big Beer?  De verdad tenían secretos, o simplemente aprovecharon de circunstancias casualmente favorables?  Cómo se compara la imagen del consumidor de cerveza del siglo XX con el borracho penoso de los antibebedores, y el nuevo americano, humilde y merecedor del siglo anterior?

Beber con la presentación?  Cualquier macro vale!

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