Texan breweries in the late nineteenth century were primarily founded near major cities - Houston, Galveston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Fort Worth - to take advantage transportation and mechanization improvements. Railroad and road expansion allowed breweries to ship products further, while the mechanization of the brewing process allowed breweries to produce more beer to serve their thirsty customers. However, in addition to this period of prosperity, also came a renewed interest in Prohibition.
Texas breweries attempted to fight the changing social and political environment by portraying breweries as a beneficial addition to the Texas economy and a place for families and friends to spend time together. Unfortunately, after years of successfully fending off the Prohibitionists, breweries lost the fight for prohibition when the United States entered World War I. After the instatement of the Eighteenth Amendment in December 18, 1917, Texas breweries needed to alter their business plans to stay in business or risk closing their doors forever.