Wish You Were Beer: International Beer Day 2021

Each year, International Beer Day rolls around to honor the oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage. This year, it falls on August 6, and unlike many dedicated food and beverage days, the date changes each year to fall on the first Friday of August. So how did International Beer Day come about and how can beer enthusiasts celebrate it?

History of International Beer Day

In 2007, a Californian named Jesse Avshalomov decided that beer and its makers were deserving of a day to honor the beverage. According to International Beer Day’s website, August was chosen “for its summer weather and distance from other beer celebrations.” 

Up until 2012, International Beer Day took place annually on August 5. But after Avshalomov took a public poll that opted for the first Friday of August, the date was changed to accommodate. Given that Friday’s mark the beginning of the weekend, and beer is often enjoyed on weekends, the date change is fitting.

The day began with the purpose of celebrating the craft of brewing and showing appreciation for those involved in the making of beer. Then it quickly expanded to include bartenders and other beer technicians as well.

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Small and independent craft brewers are celebrated for interpreting traditional styles with unique twists, using diverse techniques, ingredients and flavors to develop new brews with creativity and experimentation. And without bartenders and beer technicians, new beers would get lost in the sea of alcoholic beverages offered in bars. 

The American craft beer revolution has birthed more than 8,700 craft brewers to date, with more than 120 small and independent American brewers shipping beer, including lagers, pale ales and IPAs, across the world. And much like the global growth and popularity of craft beer, the day to celebrate it has since expanded to become a worldwide event from its humble beginnings at the founder’s local bar.

Celebrating International Beer Day

With the day spanning 207 cities, 80 countries and six continents, there is no shortage of ways the world has come up with to celebrate beer. At its core, International Beer Day has three specific purposes layed out on its website:

1. “To gather with friends and enjoy the deliciousness that is beer
2.  To celebrate the dedicated men and women who brew and serve our beer
3.  To bring the world together by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures on this one remarkable day”

While the COVID-19 pandemic may impact certain indoor gathering limits, participants are encouraged to visit local bars or brewers, many of which will be hosting special events and beer tastings for International Beer Day. Alternatively, participants can support an independent or small brewery in another city or country by using the occasion to ship a beer from another region. Non-drinkers can also participate by trying a new non-alcoholic beer.

Whether a person is celebrating in Hong Kong, rural Ireland, the backwoods of America or even in the United Arab Emirates, there is always a place to grab a beer and recognize International Beer Day.