Prohibition was a fascinating chapter in American history. While the national dry era ended in 1933, Mississippi maintained its drinking ban until 1966—with assorted alcohol laws remaining long after. But the state’s craft beverage scene has more than caught up thanks to the efforts of individuals like Mark Henderson, owner of Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company. Henderson tapped into a legal loophole in 2003 when he realized beer wasn’t classified as an alcoholic beverage and, armed with this knowledge, persuaded the state government to permit brewing operations. Today, Mississippi boasts more than two dozen craft breweries—among them Fly Llama Brewing (Biloxi), Key City Brewing Co. (Vicksburg), Southern Prohibition (Hattiesburg), and Chandeleur Island Brewing Company (Gulfport), all testaments to Henderson’s pioneering initiative.
But the sipping renaissance hasn’t stopped at beer. Visit Jackson and you’ll discover Cathead, the first and oldest commercial distillery in the state. Head north to the town of Taylor and you’ll find craft gin maker (and G&G “Made in the South” winner) Wonderbird Spirits. Then journey south to Kiln and rediscover the state’s bootlegging roots at Crittenden Distillery. (Once home to fifty illegal stills, Hancock County was dubbed the “Moonshine Capital of the World.”) Bygone beverage traditions go back even further, though. At Queen’s Reward Meadery in Tupelo, buttery honey is fermented into liquid gold in a sweet nod to centuries past—and to a far-from-dry future for Mississippi.
