Beer: The Civil War and the Growth of Commerce

From 1861 through 1865, the demand for machinery and raw materials during the Civil War sapped resources. But the rebound of industry can be seen when, in 1867, there were 3,700 breweries in operation in the United States producing 6 million barrels of beer. Two years later, with the completion of a transcontinental railroad, the market for goods and the ability to provide mass-produced packaged goods would propel the industry forward until, in 1873, breweries in the United States numbered 4,131 and were turning out 9 million barrels of beer annually. One year later the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was founded.