How Jimmy Carter Jump-Started the Craft Beer Revolution | WSJ

Former President Jimmy Carter played an important role in the creation of today's booming craft beer industry. Craft beer’s roots trace back to underground home brewing, which was legalized with a stroke of the pen by President Carter in 1978.

To learn about Carter’s suds-soaked legacy, WSJ spoke with a beer historian and Sierra Nevada Brewery Founder & CEO Ken Grossman.

Chapters:
0:00 Jimmy Carter and craft beer
0:37 U.S. craft beer history
2:47 Home brewing
4:10 Rising popularity

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#JimmyCarter #Beer #WSJ

[JillWhitcomb]

For those of us who were of drinking age in the 1980's, the average liquor store had such a small, pitiful, selection of beers compared to what is available now. This is why so many women in the 1980's would claim that they 'didn't like beer' because our choices were so limited. But with craft beers, and beers coming in all kinds of flavors such as coffee stouts, grapefruit IPAs, berry flavored beers, and citrus, that opened the market up for a new audience.

[markhale]

Senator Cranston of California and Representative Steiger of Wisconsin were the two who introduced the actual legislation. President Carter (RIP) thankfully signed it.

[portetyy]

Either WSJ is really good at making videos in hours or this video is made earlier and released at an impeccable timing.

[Woozlewuzzleable]

Oh, thank you for your service. I'll have a nice cold one in his honor.

[nikkivieler]

Probably the best law signed by any U.S. president...

[TheBruSho]

Thank you President Carter! Without that bill I wouldn't have my favorite hobby!

[mahlstadt]

“…when I'm in Third World countries, like when I'm in Timbuktu or Mali or Ethiopia, or when I'm in the depths of a desert in southern Sudan, I don't drink local wine, because it can be abominable. So, as an alternative, because we don't drink any sort of water, we drink beer. I do quite often, more so than I do in this country. I don't drink beer much in this country, but when I'm overseas and want to drink something and want to be able to depend on it, I drink a beer”

Wine Spectator interview with Jimmy Carter, Feb 2005

[justinstephenson]

US craft beer shows the big brewers what beers should be like. I love that US craft brewers have preserved and in some cases resuscitated old styles of beer - much as I like US IPAs it is the Amber Ales that have been a highlight for me.

I never knew that Carter was responsible for restarting the US craft brewing industry

[timothywalker]

It makes sense that President Carter signed the bill, with a farmer’s background. You’re a business man in overalls. Thanks Jimmy 😁

[brownkemosabe]

Good ol' Jimmy was cooler than we ever thought. Cheers chief. RIP

[fredbarnes]

In the 70s you couldn’t even get Coors in New York or New England. I remember trying to bring a couple cases back but drinking them before we got home

[tsancio]

I remember Jimmy Carter because I happened to be in the USA during his Presidency (at the end I was 9 y/o). It's crazy to think that the 1970's are further away from now than they were to prohibition.

[SamMcKinley]

WSJ is great!!! I just read the Jimmy Carter article. Seemed to be a good guy but got a bad wrap. All the shady politicians get praised.

[libiroli]

Please feature Ms. McCulla in more videos -- she is fantastic!

[Sjalabais]

Theresa McCulla is such an eloquent expert. Great interviewee!

The fact that Carter's brother introduced a craft beer company *the year before the law was signed* seems non-random.

[timc]

I served President Carter in 1993, interestingly he drank Sierra Nevada Stout.

[Pavel..]

Carter first thought about his brother and then about the craft beer industry. It is how it works. It is good when the interests of the powerful align with the plebs.

[centamangila]

Also cover another bill that Jimmy Carter signed that saved an industry: the Staggers Rail Act, which lifted many regulations concerting railroads.

[MarcosAntonio-zyh]

Greetings citizens of the north america what God..Mr Jimmy Carter you is fantastic..

[Mike-hupp]

You can buy an a people killing automatic assault rifle at the local gun show, but don't you dare make a beer in your basement!!