Repeal of Prohibition (1933)
The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th, ending a 13-year federal ban on alcohol production and sale. It gave each state authority to set its own alcohol rules.
States built licensing systems for selling alcohol, including separate categories for bars and restaurants.
Nearly a century later, any US restaurant that wants to serve alcohol must clear a state or local licence review. Denver uses its hotel-and-restaurant licence for exactly that.
This is the structural reason The Henry must apply for a licence before it can pour wine or cocktails alongside its menu.
