After the Civil War, state and national Prohibition galvanized in Atlanta the issues of classism, racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. While many consider flappers and gangsters the iconic images of the era, in reality, it was marked with temperance zealo

In addition to co-authoring Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Hub of the South, Ron Smith has hosted beer and food pairing dinners and beer education sessions. He was a featured speaker for the Georgia Center for the Book in 2014. Together with Mary Boyle, he developed the Malts and Vaults tour at Atlanta's Historic Oakland Cemetery. An obsessive researcher, Ron is deeply interested in the history of beverage alcohol in the American South and its role in society.