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“There were seventy bars [in Utah] before prohibition,” says Dave Perkins of High West Distillery. “And then there were sixty-nine soda shops after prohibition - they definitely mixed their alcohol here.” In KUED’s latest documentary, Beehive Spirits, Perkins recounts the Utah history that adds charm to his top-shelf brand: High West Whiskey.

Everyone knows the prohibition didn’t stop people from drinking – private parties had plenty of good times and booze. In honor of this nation’s proud tradition of drinking against the odds, Brewvies Cinema is hosting their first annual Prohibition Day Party on December 5th – the anniversary of the Prohibition’s repeal.

High West is just one of the local gems that will be featured at Brewvies’ Prohibition Day Party. Starting at 5:30 pm, Brewvies will be hosting a meet-and-greet with local companies Bohemian Brewery, Epic Brewery, High West Distillery, Moab Brewery, Red Rock Brewery and Uinta Brewery, where you can hear about (and try) their latest products, with killer deals and even giveaways.

Stay for a screening of Beehive Spirits, a straight-up shot of Utah’s liquor history from KUED, at 7 pm. This 30-minute piece features three local alcohol entrepreneurs: Wasatch Beers’ Greg Schirf – affectionately known as the Beer Pioneer; Castle Creek’s Colin Fryer – the Wine Cowboy; and High West’s Dave Perkins – the Whiskey Missionary. Historical insight is provided by Del Vance, owner of The Beerhive Pub and author of Beer in the Beehive and Rod Decker of KUTV. The documentary is crammed full of surprising and ironic Utah history, like the fact that Utah cast the deciding vote to repeal prohibition even after ratifying it two years earlier than the rest of the nation.

Brewvies will also be screening a series of lost interviews with the late great Joe Petras, founder of Bohemian Brewery. Petras, a Czech immigrant, has been living the American dream in Utah, where his family-run brewery specializes in Czech-style lagers. Bohemian Brewery is a proud defender of canned – as opposed to bottled – beers, affirming that cans are better for the beer, the environment, and the beer-drinking population of Utah.

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