Episode 085 - History’s Greatest Hangover: When America Tried to Stop Drinking

Sorta Sophisticated · Dec 24, 2025 · 40m · transcript

Highlights of this episode include uncorking the unbelievable story of how America tried to ban alcohol…and somehow wound up drinking even more. From the loophole-riddled Volstead Act that no one actually understood, to the rise of speakeasies, jazz-fueled rebellion, and bootleggers who accidentally invented NASCAR, we’re tracing how a nationwide “noble experiment” turned into history’s greatest hangover. And because Prohibition isn’t just a relic - it echoes through today’s debates on marijuana, gambling, vaping, and whatever vice we try to outlaw next.

Chapters

(00:00:04) - Sophisticated…