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Alcoholic Beverage Industry

Beers, Ales, etc.

Calvert Lithographing Co. Bock beer, 1882. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

The material in this section covers beers, ales, and other beverages produced by brewers and is just a sample of the books and other resources that is available. You may also want to research the names of local breweries, including those that have long histories including Pabst, Stroh, Anheuser Busch, and Coors. This guide is not focused on home brewing but the legislative history of home brewing is part of the history of the industry particularly around the 18th and 21st Amendments. The Law Library has published "Just Brew It: A Brief Legislative History about Homebrewing in the United States – Part 1" and there is also a Part 2 if you want to understand that history.

Please see the resources in the general section of this guide where there are books and trade literature that provide an historical overview of the alcoholic beverage industry and are not devoted to a specific type of beverage. If you are looking for images please search the Library's website using the word beer or brewing.

General Information & History

The following materials from the Library's collections examine general information and he history of the beer and ale industry. The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to digital content are provided when available.

Market Data & Trade Literature

The resources here are for those looking to understand the market. The focus are directories and sources with company/brewery names as well as annual overviews and literature for those in the industry.

Search the Library's Catalog

Choose the topics you wish to browse from the selected subject headings below. Each heading will link directly to the Library of Congress Online Catalog and automatically execute a search allowing you to browse related subject headings. There are additional subject headings for the industry and history in individual states and countries that have their own subject headings and may be important if the industry dominated a state or local history and economy. Please be aware that during periods of heavy use you may encounter delays in using the catalog. For assistance in locating other subject headings which relate to this subject, please Ask A Librarian.