Northern Colorado residents recently debated about whether to "Meat-In" or "Meat-Out," but in the 1960s, Colorado State University students were worried about beer.

In a tweet celebrating National Beer Day (April 7), CSU recalled the famous 1968 "Beer-In," in which students drank Coors in the Student Center to protest the alcohol ban on campus.

According to Source, the Oct. 18 stunt had promising results. Two months later, the State Board of Agriculture passed a measure allowing the sale of 3.2 beer in the student center.

"To organize students, sometimes you had to pick the lowest common denominator," Bruce Russell, a protestor, said at a 2018 "Beer-In" anniversary celebration. "We used beer as a symbol...this was our student center, so we said: 'Let's have some more control over our own lives.'"

On May 2, 1969, the Ramskeller served its first 3.2 beer. Full strength beer wouldn't come along until later — even hard liquor sales were prohibited in Fort Collins until August of that year.

CSU has since embraced its beer-related history. On top of the still-operating Ramskeller, the institution also offers a Fermentation Science & Technology major, which was the first program in the U.S. to study food and beverage consumption.

The program has created several original beers...and you can drink them on campus.

Most Memorable Fort Collins Concerts

 

More From Townsquare Fort Collins