President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at the age of 100, yet many Americans, especially conservatives, are unfamiliar with legislation he signed that had a tremendous impact on craft beer brewing, then a small, budding industry.
In an October newsletter, I wrote about why a snippet of Carter’s legacy should be celebrated by conservatives and any American who enjoys beer from independent craft breweries, to honor the former president’s 100th birthday. I am no diehard fan of Carter’s. However, I am a fan of craft beer and kind people who don’t hate our country, so sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due.
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Why Beer-Drinking Conservatives Should Celebrate President Carter
Before you start hating on good ol’ Jimmy for being an incompetent Democrat responsible for creating the disastrous Department of Education, I invite you reconsider his legacy, for the sole reason that the famous tee-totaler was also responsible for helping to launch the American craft beer industry that we have come to know and love today.
On Oct. 14, 1978, Carter signed HR 1337, which permitted adults to “produce wine and beer for personal and family use and not for sale without incurring the wine or beer excise taxes or any penalties” for up to 200 gallons brewed. In other words, Carter gave the green light to beer-loving Americans to start crafting brews at home, “which in turn set the stage for the first generation of small brewery owners,” according to Brewers Association CEO Bob Pease.
Jimmy Carter had a lot of problems during his administration that he made worse – oil shortages, inflation, the Iranian hostage crisis – but still, he is not like Democrats of today. Jimmy Carter wasn’t a ruthless servant to his party. He wasn’t vindictive, either, like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, or Kamala Harris, and he didn’t hate America. In fact, he was probably too nice. Too polite and too humble for the awesome powers of the Oval Office. Someone who himself abstains from alcohol yet allows his fellow countrymen to indulge in the grape and grain does not hate this country. They love it, and have a respect for its culture and people.
TOPSHOT – Former President Jimmy Carter departs after the funeral service for former first lady Rosalynn Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church, in Plains, Georgia, on November 29, 2023. Carter died on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96, just two days after joining her husband in hospice care at their house in Plains. (Photo by ALEX BRANDON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
This fall, as the weather gets colder, I’m going to crack open a craft beer, maybe a potent double-IPA, and rewatch the classic sports movie “Miracle,” about the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. I won’t be watching it for the epic final game against the Soviets, the Jack O’Callahan quotes, or Herb Brooks’ locker room speech. No, I will be watching it for the brief two-minute scene that features a snippet of Jimmy Carter’s most famous address, “The Crisis of Confidence” speech.
I will cheers to President Carter, not only for making the “Miracle” Christmas scene incredibly powerful, but for all his effort to grow the craft beer industry despite never drinking.
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