Today is the 4th annual holiday celebrating brewers around the world, International Brewers Day, which I created in 2008. While I haven’t been able to put as much effort into it as I might have liked, someday I will. In the meantime, some parts of the international brewing community are carrying on with celebrations, most notably in Australia. For now, a quiet celebration involving beer and any brewer you happen to encounter today is in order.
You could see the original idea, the plan and why I chose July 18 at the old International Brewers Day website, but unfortunately it’s currently down. I’ll have to get that moved and back up again one of these days.
Here was my original driving thought:
Brewers have given so many of us the pleasure of their artistry and enriched our lives with their beer since civilization began. So I think it’s time we recognized their efforts by celebrating their lives, their commitment and their craft. We’re all beer people, but without the brewers what would we be drinking?
Did I mention that hugging brewers is a big part of the holiday?
As the old Czech saying goes:
“Blessed is the mother who gives birth to a brewer.“
That’s cool, never knew that such a day existed, although I probably would have presumed that it did. Happy IBD! Now if only I could celebrate with a beer.
WTF
Hi Jay – We’ve celebrated Brewers Day down here since I first saw your idea for it on your blog. It’s slowly been growing but this year we organised two big functions in Brisbane with over 500 people attending to celebrate good beer. Of course, the Australian beer calendar is much sparser than that in the US, with few beer weeks and no Brewers Association to kick things along – but Brewers Day is proving to have a bit of momentum to get the good beer word out down under. It would be great to have you come along as patron one year soon to see what you started! Matt
It’s my birthday! Little did I know I’ve been celebrating International Brewers Day for decades. Right now I’m having a Port Older Viscosity Bourbon-Aged Stout. Before that, a Pliny the Elder (that’s my summer light beer). Keep up the good work, craft brewers.
I love the idea of an international brewers day, although it looks like I missed it by one day this year. I look forward to celebrating with you next time around! So many amazing breweries to thank for their wonderful efforts…
Hi Jay,
I just read about this for the first time today and am ALL OVER it! Sorry I missed the opportunity to make some noise this year but I’ll do so next year for sure. I’m going to hug the next brewer I see…
M
here in argentina is 19 january.