Posted on 02/07/2022 1:50:07 PM PST by mylife
The Volstead Act also stipulated that the grape growers themselves could make juice and juice concentrate only if those products were used for non-alcoholic consumption. So the vineyards could still make non-alcoholic wine and that wine could theoretically be turned into alcohol by consumers as long as the winemakers gave clear warning that this was illegal, and they had no knowledge of the end consumers’ intentions. With these loopholes in place, the creation of “wine bricks” and, in turn, the ability for U.S. citizens to continue consuming wine came to be.
My great Grandpa stilled shine during prohibition. Wyatt Earp was a friend and came by the ranch all the time when he was a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy and shared with Grandad. Earp would go blow up one of Bob’s stills and spread the rumor that Jim my Grandpa did it. Then in reverse. Caused a feud between them that ended up in a shoot out in front of the courthouse and both ended up gut shot and died. Yet Wyatt enjoyed both their wares the whole time on his way through to “his” town. :)
Just “doing his job”. lol :)
Interesting idea for a prequel: Breaking Bad—the Prohibition Years
My great grandad was friends with Johnny Appleseed.
there was no prohibition back then and Johnny loved good cider.
If you were to purchase one of these bricks, on the package would be a note explaining how to dissolve the concentrate in a gallon of water. Then right below it, the note would continue with a warning instructing you not to leave that jug in the cool cupboard for 21 days, or it would turn into wine. That warning was in fact your key to vino, and thanks to loopholes in Prohibition legislation, consuming 200 gallons of this homemade wine for your personal use was completely legal, it just couldn’t leave your home – something wine brick packages were also very careful to remind consumers. Besides the “warning,” wine brick makers such as Vino Sano were very open about what they knew their product was to be used for, even including the flavors – such as Burgundy, Claret and Riesling – one might encounter if they mistakenly left the juice to ferment.
The result of these wine brick was that many people, including the famous Beringer Vineyards, became incredibly rich. This is because the demand for grapes and these concentrate products didn’t fall when Prohibition hit, it rose, but there were fewer people to keep up with the supply, since several winemakers had already torn up their vineyards to plant orchards. By 1924, the price per ton was a shocking $37
Never before in America did so many people get so drunk.
If it was determined that someone instead used those grapes to make booze, and the vineyard owner who sold the individual the grapes was aware of this, both the grape grower and the winemaker could find themselves in jail.
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Some things never change, including the draconian punishments for small infractions meted out by power hungry governments.
You know... There was a time when hard cider was more popular than beer or wine in this country. Long before prohibition. :)
It’s asinine.
It's a lot like today. People counterfeiting vaccine documents. Fake masks.
hard cider is great but gets folks mean and gives them the squirts.
“Wine Bricks”
Grape Bricks
It’s been a very long time since I had any hard cider, but what I remember was getting an awful headache.
I did not make any this year, last year it sploded. :(
I knew a Christian Brother who told me that during Prohibition their vineyard sold wine to anyone who wanted it, they were exempt from the Act since they made altar wine. I asked him why the Order made wine in the first place, he told me the founder’s mother was a Moet.
My grandfather had a still under his garage, and Dad would help him with it. Grandpa got caught twice. I don’t know if he got jail time the first time, but he did 6 months the second time. Dad didn’t go to jail because he was underage. The cops, however, warned Dad he should move out of there, his response was “Where am I gonna go”
Grandpa once shot someone who was trespassing in his garden. Thank God he didn’t kill him, but he did shoot him in the ass. GP was arrested and hauled into court. The tomato thief admitted stealing his produce. The judge sent everyone home, and that was it. It was a different world back in 1910…
My grandparents came from Sicily around 1900. Grandpa was still dispensing Old World justice in the New World. He was quite the character.
I have his revolver, a Colt Police Positive Special 32/20.
Do you have any pictures of your GGrandpa with Wyatt Earp? It would be cool to see them if you do.
That wine brick is a bit disingenuous. Sherry is a fortified wine; it has an addition of alcohol to that naturally occurring during fermentation. Sherry grapes, but not Sherry.
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