Budweiser advertisement, Pennsylvania, October 31, 1930

Before prohibition, barley-malt syrup was not widely popular. It didn’t taste great. However, after the passing of the 18th amendment, the baking agent’s sales soared. It was marketed as an ingredient for use in making breads and desserts, like gingerbread and donuts, usually taking the place of sugar. It was also suggested as a tonic for nursing mothers. 

When mixed with water, hops, yeast, and sugar, the malt syrup became beer, colloquially known as home-brew. Some cities sold so much extract every single week that it could have provided the sweetening “for 800,000 loaves of bread, or more than 16 loaves for every man, woman, and child”. That’s a lot of bread.