Certain religions have alcoholic drinks as a part of their normal rituals. For example, in Judaism, every Sabbath one must recite the Kiddush, a blessing involving wine. I believe other religions also have rituals involving Alcohol. How were this rituals affected during prohibition? Were religious institutions able to get exceptions through protections in the 1st amendment?
I'm sure someone can give you a more thorough answer as to the enforcement and social ramifications, but from a legal standpoint, the Volstead Act, which defined the terms upon which prohibition would be enforced by the federal government, contained specific measures to exempt religious practices from the ban through a permit system.
Text of the act, Title II, Sec 6
Nothing in this title shall be held to apply to the manufacture, sale, transportation, importation, possession, or distribution of wine for sacramental purposes, or like religious rites, except section 6 (save as the same requires a permit to purchase) and section 10 hereof, and the provisions of this Act prescribing penalties for the violation of either of said sections
No person to whom a permit may be issued to manufacture, transport, import, or sell wines for sacramental purposes or like religious rites shall sell, barter, exchange, or furnish any such to any person not a rabbi, minister of the gospel, priest, or an officer duly authorized for the purpose by any church or congregation, nor to any such except upon an application duly subscribed by him, which application, authenticated as regulations may prescribe, shall be filed and preserved by the seller. The head of any conference or diocese or other ecclesiastical jurisdiction may designate any rabbi, minister, or priest to supervise the manufacture of wine to be used for the purposes and rites in this section mentioned, and the person so designated may, in the discretion of the commissioner, be granted a permit to supervise such manufacture.