# How did longstanding American alcohol makers survive prohibition? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** liquor-alcohol, beer\ **Created:** [June 29, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263 "2025-06-29T16:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/21 "2025-07-01T12:13:01Z")
That happened with the Yuengling Ice Cream also. At some point they sold the Ice Cream part of the business off and it was still being made a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/22 "2025-07-01T12:34:07Z")
Related note–at the end of WW One, the World arms market was so flooded with used firearms, that neither Government not private buyers existed for new weapons. Many arms manufacturers shifted to making bicycles, alarms clocks, and even trolley parts to stay in business. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/23 "2025-07-01T13:09:58Z")
It’s important to remember that a lot of lesser-known breweries, wineries, etc. did not survive prohibition. The (hard) cider industry basically vanished for instance. I don’t know what portion of the market the surviving companies make up, but it’s not too surprising that some would make it. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/24 "2025-07-01T15:18:00Z")
> [@Philander Chase Johnson](#): > > The man who called it “near beer” was a bad judge of distance. … ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/25 "2025-07-01T17:34:10Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Related note–at the end of WW One, the World arms market was so flooded with used firearms, that neither Government not private buyers existed for new weapons. > Many arms manufacturers shifted to making bicycles, alarms clocks, and even trolley parts to stay in business. For example, the British firm **[Birmingham Small Arms Company - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Small_Arms_Company)** switched to motorcycles. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/26 "2025-07-01T17:40:33Z")
Just a reminder, this thread is on prohibition and what alcohol producers did to survive ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/27 "2025-07-01T17:45:25Z")
Alcohol was used for various industrial purposes, and there were companies that were permitted to produce alcohol for that purposes. Some people have the impression John Kennedy, Sr., was a bootlegger, but he made his alcohol legally. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/28 "2025-07-01T18:13:11Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Some people have the impression John Kennedy, Sr., was a bootlegger, but he made his alcohol legally. I believe that you are referring to Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. While there are plenty of rumors, it has always appeared to me that Kennedy didn’t get into the alcohol import business until 1933, after prohibition ended. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/29 "2025-07-01T18:15:03Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I believe that you are referring to Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. Gosh darn it! I was! By the laws of the internet, we must become enemies because my fragile ego cannot handle being corrected! If I fail to establish dominance now, the rest of the SDMB will never respect me again. What’s that? They never respected me to begin with? Oh. Carry on then. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/30 "2025-07-01T18:44:16Z")
> **Off-topic, hidden** > > PBS is doing a series called “Prohibition” which having watched the first two episodes- is pretty damn good, > > So far, however, no explicit mention of Wheeler deliberately poisoning alcoholics. > > However, it is clear- Prohibition started organized crime in America, and made us “a nation of scofflaws”. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/31 "2025-07-01T19:47:00Z")
> [@jjakucyk](#): > > The (hard) cider industry basically vanished for instance. Applejack started off as the most popular alcohol in revolution era America. The Laird family started distilling it in New Jersey in 1698. It’s the oldest continuously operating distilled alcohol company in the country. The company did survive but what had become a niche market became even smaller. During prohibition they did sell apple juice and had permission to sell for medical purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/32 "2025-07-01T20:00:59Z")
[Moderating] This is Factual Questions. Your post was not factual. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/33 "2025-07-01T21:23:37Z")
I apologize if this is not sufficiently factual. But the Ken Burns documentary “Prohibition” (based on the Daniel Okrent book of the same name) give a great deal of info on the OP’s question. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263/34 "2025-07-03T21:06:13Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > > [@Odesio](#): > > > > Some people have the impression John Kennedy, Sr., was a bootlegger, but he made his alcohol legally. > > I believe that you are referring to Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. > > While there are plenty of rumors, it has always appeared to me that Kennedy didn’t get into the alcohol import business until 1933, after prohibition ended. Kennedy did not import any liquor during Prohibition, but once repeal was passed in congress and was going to the states for ratification, he went to the UK and signed contracts for delivery once repeal was ratified. So he had a head start on importing once it became legal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-longstanding-american-alcohol-makers-survive-prohibition/1020263.md?page=1)