International Beer Day was 5 days ago.
In 2020 International Beer Day was on August 7th (friday).
It is an inseparable buddy of every man while watching a football match, relaxing after a hard day’s work, or simply talking to a best friend in the pub. Beer – because this is what we are talking about – is what we all associate with a good time, chillout and pleasure. Some men loved beer so much, that they decided to establish a celebration of it.
International Beer Day started as a small event in one of the pubs in Santa Cruz, California. Its owners have in 2007 organised an event for their friends and other beer lovers which turned into an annual, international celebration. For the first 6 years, Beer Day was observed on August 5. After 2012 edition, however, the holiday was moved to the first Friday of August. Over the years other states and countries were joining the observance. Today, International Beer Day is celebrated in over 200 cities in 80 countries on 6 continents.
There are 3 main purposes of the day: 1) to gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer; 2) to celebrate those who brew and serve the beer; 3) to unite the whole world by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures. First Friday of August is therefore a great opportunity to meet friends in pubs, breweries, and backyards all over the world and simply enjoy different types of this golden beverage. The participants of the observance are also encouraged to give each other ‘gifts of beer’, for it is said that beer tastes better when somebody buys it for you. It might be a good occasion to try something new, as there is plenty of different styles of beer, such as Lager, Porter, Pale Ale, or Stout. Some pubs offer beer tastings on that day, or have happy hours for the whole Friday. It is also a good time to say ‘thank you’ to all the brewers and bartenders that you know.
It is also worth noting that International Beer Day is not the only holiday celebrating this alcoholic beverage. One of the most popular beer holidays in the world is the Oktoberfest, held annually in Bavaria, Germany. Other events connected with beer are: Lager Day, Beer Lover’s Day, India Pale Ale Day, New Beer’s Eve, or German Beer Day. Looks like beer lovers all over the world can always find an opportunity to raise the glass of their favourite beer!
Did you know?
Although the holiday was established in the United States, the beer drinking capital of the world is... the Czech Republic. It is estimated that every Czech drinks about 40 gallons of bear yearly. It is indeed understandable why one of the Czech proverbs says: ‘A fine beer may be judged with only one sip... but it’s better to be thoroughly sure’.