Fest looks at the history of the Lager Beer Riot

Fest looks at the history of the Lager Beer Riot
Fest looks at the history of the Lager Beer Riot

Fest looks at the history of the Lager Beer Riot

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Chicago’s political landscape has long been filled with scandal and calls for revolution. But when did it all start? Local historians trace the first act of civil disturbance to the Lager Beer Riots on April 21, 1855, when a coalition of anti-immigrant, temperance activists tried raised liquor license fees aimed at pushing Irish and German immigrants out of business. These groups led a revolt and historians say it marked a change in how immigrants participated in the political process. To celebrate this moment in history, local historian Paul Durica is washing down that history lesson with some locally-produced beer and a dodgeball reenactment of the riot. Durica gives us the history of the Lager Beer Riots, and Strange Brews co-host Andrew Gill details the evolution of neighborhood brewers. (Flickr/QuinnDombrowski)