Prohibition-era tricks

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During Prohibition, grape farmers found a clever way to stay in business by producing semi-solid grape concentrates known as “wine bricks.” These bricks were technically legal, intended for juice-making, but came with a tongue-in-cheek warning label that hinted at their true potential. The label read: “After dissolving the brick in a gallon of water, do not place the liquid in a jug away in the cupboard for twenty days, because then it would turn into wine.”

 

This playful disclaimer allowed farmers to skirt the law while giving consumers a wink and nod toward fermentation. Though authorities cracked down on illegal alcohol, wine bricks became a popular loophole, helping Americans quietly continue winemaking at home. It was one of the more creative and humorous workarounds of the Prohibition era.