Join us for an engaging discussion with economist and author Jason Taylor as he takes us through the fascinating history of beer’s return during the final stages of Prohibition. The U.S. government’s decision to legalize 3.2% beer in 1933 — one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first policies — helped revitalize American breweries and jumpstart economic recovery during the Great Depression.
Taylor delves into how Prohibition smashed the nation’s beer industry, putting brewers out of business in Michigan and around the United States. He recounts the heated debates that led Congress to redefine “non-intoxicating” beverage and legalize 3.2% beer. Taylor tours the raucous celebrations around the country on April 7, now known as National Beer Day, when beer officially became legal again in 1933. This history shows the important role beer plays in America's economy and holds lessons for Michigan today.
Whether you're a history buff, beer enthusiast or simply curious about alcohol regulation today, this event promises an insightful and entertaining look at the resurgence of beer in America.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Happy Hour & Program:
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Lansing Brewing Company
518 E. Shiawassee St.
Lansing, MI 48912
Call our Events office at
This event is free, but RSVP is required by March 5th.
Registered guests will receive one complementary drink ticket. The first 10 registrants who attend the event will receive a free copy of Taylor’s book The Brew Deal: How Beer Helped Battle the Great Depression.
Register online
Jason Taylor is the Jerry and Felicia Campbell Professor of Economics at Central Michigan University and the author of the new book, "The Brew Deal: How Beer Helped Battle the Great Depression." Before joining CMU, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Georgia. Taylor served as Editor-in-Chief of Essays in Economic & Business History between 2012 and 2018. His research is focused on U.S. economic history, industrial organization, and public policy. Taylor's work appears in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, The Journal of Economic History, The Journal of Law and Economics, Public Choice, Economica, The Journal of Industrial Economics, and more.
Michael LaFaive is the senior director of the Morey Fiscal Policy Initiative for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, where he has worked since 1995. He is the author or co-author of hundreds of essays, commentaries and blog posts and 25 studies on fiscal policy topics as varied as alcohol control and public safety, local and state privatization efforts, corporate welfare, school finance, state budgeting and cigarette taxes. He has been published widely and is highly sought after in the media for his work on economic development, tax and budget issues and cigarette smuggling.
