The original predecessor of the modern wine kit did not come with juice or any of the additives available today. The instructions also had to be disguised as a warning. If you’re not familiar, meet the stealthy Must Brick! 

Must Bricks were a type of grape concentrate, to which water could be added to create a fermented beverage. The Must Bricks were sold as a means of circumventing the Volstead Act, as they were not technically an alcoholic beverage. The instructions on how to use Must Bricks were disguised as an advisory to present the appearance that they were not intended for making wine. This was done to protect the sellers of the Must Bricks from any legal repercussions, but everyone who sold them knew their use as did those who bought them. 

The instructions were often hidden in the packaging, or in a separate pamphlet that was included. They read something like this: "After dissolving the brick in a gallon of water, DO NOT place the liquid in a jug away in the cupboard for 21 days or it will turn into wine."

But as nifty as Must Bricks might have been, they were also considered a last resort. They supposedly did not taste very good and produced wines with a low ABV. They didn’t come with sulfites or acid blend either. You had to drink them right away and keep your expectations in check. It was not exactly the best paring for a steak. 

Must Bricks were an ingenious way of getting around the Volstead Act, but they were ultimately unsuccessful in circumventing the law. The government eventually became aware of the subversive Must Brick and the instructions on how to use them, and they began to crack down on those who were selling and using them to make wine. This ultimately led to the Must Bricks being discontinued but that did not matter in the end. By the time Uncle Sam got hip to the Must Brick’s actual intent, Prohibition ended shortly after in 1933.

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