At the onset of Kenya's colonial era in 1902, traditional alcohol consumption was integral to cultural practices, particularly among the Mijikenda people. However, colonial authorities prohibited Africans from consuming European liquors, fostering a racial divide. Following World War II, the ban on bottled beer was lifted, leading to a societal shift where bottled beer became synonymous with modernity and respectability. This change was heavily influenced by multinational breweries and media narratives that condemned traditional brews as unpatriotic. Recent literary analyses of novels from the 1970s reveal how these themes of respectability and colonial mentality permeated Kenyan society. Notably, the crackdown on traditional brews, including the recent destruction of distillation equipment, underscores the Kenyan state's ongoing colonial anxieties regarding identity and civilization. The portrayal of alcohol consumption in literature reflects the struggles of marginalized populations seeking validation through the consumption of bottled beer, often at the expense of their cultural practices. Ultimately, the war against traditional alcohol is rooted in a colonial legacy that continues to shape perceptions of identity in modern Kenya.