The Carter presidency, for many, is remembered for many things: the hostage crisis, peanuts, little Amy. For those in our circles, Carter = beer, thanks to brother Billy’s influence on his older bro’s presidential priorities.
Let us explain.
The New Republic helps us put it this simply:
In short, prohibition led to the dismantling of the small brewery. When prohibition was lifted, government tightly regulated the market, and small-scale producers were essentially shut out of the beer market altogether. Regulations imposed at the time greatly benefited the large beer makers.
In 1979, Carter deregulated the beer industry, opening it back up to craft brewers. This had a really amazing effect on the beer industry:
Some claim that this peanut farmer was motivated by his own sales — peanuts, beer… get it? But we think he was doing something for “the rest of us,” like his brother Billy. Though Billy reportedly preferred Pabst Blue Ribbon, his big brother caught onto the importance of beer drinking (and making) as an important thread in the American story. It also created jobs. Without 1979, where would beer be today?