CFPS Beer History and Culture 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What was National Prohibition in the United States, and during what period was it in effect?
- A voluntary pledge by major brewers to reduce alcohol content, 1918-1925
- A federal constitutional ban on the manufacture and sale of alcohol, 1920-1933 (Correct answer)
- State-level taxation designed to reduce alcohol consumption, 1910-1940
- A wartime grain conservation restriction limiting brewing, 1917-1920
Correct answer: A federal constitutional ban on the manufacture and sale of alcohol, 1920-1933
The 18th Amendment established Prohibition in 1920, and it was repealed by the 21st Amendment in December 1933, decimating American brewing from over 1,000 breweries to just a handful.
Question 2: Which brewery is generally recognized as the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world?
- Weihenstephan Brewery in Bavaria, Germany (Correct answer)
- Affligem Abbey Brewery in Belgium
- Shepherd Neame Brewery in Faversham, England
- Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Plzeň, Czech Republic
Correct answer: Weihenstephan Brewery in Bavaria, Germany
Weihenstephan, near Munich, claims continuous brewing operations dating to 1040 CE, making it the oldest operating brewery, now operating as a state brewery and brewing school.
Question 3: What did the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), founded in England in 1971, seek to protect?
- Traditional Belgian lambic and gueuze brewing traditions
- German Reinheitsgebot brewing purity standards in British pubs
- Traditional British cask-conditioned ales threatened by keg beer and lager (Correct answer)
- American craft brewing against multinational corporate consolidation
Correct answer: Traditional British cask-conditioned ales threatened by keg beer and lager
CAMRA was founded by four journalists who feared traditional British cask ale would be eliminated by pasteurized, filtered keg beers being pushed by major breweries.
Question 4: What historical purpose led to the creation of India Pale Ale (IPA), and why did higher hopping and alcohol help?
- Heavy hopping masked off-flavors from long ocean voyages to India; hops' preservative properties and higher ABV inhibited spoilage (Correct answer)
- Indian consumers specifically requested a more bitter beer than what was available domestically
- High hop rates were required by British law for all exported beers
- Indian brewers couldn't produce beer locally and requested a stronger English export
Correct answer: Heavy hopping masked off-flavors from long ocean voyages to India; hops' preservative properties and higher ABV inhibited spoilage
British brewers found that heavily hopped, higher-alcohol ales survived the 6-month sea voyage to India better, as hops and alcohol both inhibit spoilage microorganisms.
Question 5: What US legal change in 1978, signed by President Jimmy Carter, was a major catalyst for the explosion of American craft brewing?
- Legalization of homebrewing up to 100 gallons per adult per year for personal use (Correct answer)
- Removal of federal excise taxes on craft breweries under 15,000 barrels
- Deregulation allowing breweries to self-distribute without going through wholesalers
- Permission for brewpubs to sell beer brewed on-premises directly to customers
Correct answer: Legalization of homebrewing up to 100 gallons per adult per year for personal use
Homebrewing had been federally illegal since Prohibition; Carter's legalization allowed enthusiasts to experiment, develop skills, and eventually launch the craft brewery movement.
Question 6: Which iconic American craft brewery, established in Chico, California in 1980, is considered a defining force of the craft beer revolution?
- Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
- New Belgium Brewing Company
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Ken Grossman's Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, founded in 1980, helped establish the standards for American craft IPAs and Pale Ales with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
CFPS Beer History and Culture 2
What was National Prohibition in the United States, and during what period was it in effect?