The Spirit World

Perhaps one of these days December 5th will be as celebrated a holiday in America as Christmas and Thanksgiving. Well, maybe not, but it at least is a day which many of us will still insist on doing a little bit of celebrating on. The reason is quite simple, it is the day when Prohibition was finally repealed in 1933.

The “Great Experiment” had failed, miserably. Prohibition was enacted by the desperate arguments that it was necessary in order to protect families, women, and children from the moral decline that alcohol created. In the end, many of the same people that fought for Prohibition, fought just as hard for its repeal, their continued interest was essentially the same: Prohibition was undermining the family and corrupting the morals of women and children.

In 1932, Franklin Roosevelt won the Presidential election running on a platform which included the “anti-prohibition” plank, and on December 5th, 1933 with a 74 percent majority, Prohibition was finally repealed.

Proper celebration of course requires a visit to your favorite cocktail lounge to lift a glass and toast the day. My choice for this evening was to head to downtown Seattle and drop in at Vessel, where Jamie Boudreau had been anxiously planning a celebration to remember for his customers. Since Prohibition was repealed at 2:32 (PST), Vessel would be opening at that time to pay special tribute to the day. They of course also lined up some interesting drink specials. Stella Artois and Monmousseau Brut Etoile for $2.32, as well as 33% off for anybody who came in dressed in 1933 fashion. But perhaps one of the biggest drink specials to specifically celebrate the day, was that Jamie had acquired a bottle of “Prohibition Bourbon”. A bottle of Pebble-Ford Kentucky Bourbon, which had been distilled in 1917, then bottled in 1931. While $40 an ounce is much more than it would have gone for back in 1933, it was indeed a bargain to be able to celebrate this year’s Repeal Day in such a style.

Judging by the crowds this evening, Jamie had a great thing going. I showed up at 4pm, their normal opening time, and they were already crowded, and things continue to grow throughout the evening. It also appeared that more than half of them had made efforts (many quite good) to dress the part.

At 5:32 Jamie opened the bottle of Pebble-Ford, which I naturally had to sample. It had a somewhat distinctive and not unpleasant muskiness to it, and was quite smooth as you might expect. We toasted the evening and gave thanks that Prohibition ended before we were born.