April 7th is National Beer Day — and although we can get cynical about the seemingly endless rollout of “official” beer holidays, we’ve committed to this one yet again.

And here’s why…

A Day Entirely Dedicated To Drinking Beer

Drinking plays a big role in many national holidays. But unlike Christmas, New Year’s, the 4th of July (and even Halloween), where alcohol is only part of the celebration, National Beer Day is all about the drink: beer and only beer.

And unlike other beer-themed days like IPA Day or Lager Day, National Beer Day isn’t style-specific. You can pretty much drink whatever you want — as long as it’s beer.

National Beer Day Actually Commemorates Something Real

National Beer Day is more than just a shameless marketing ploy (unlike International Stout Day or the way Cinco de Mayo is treated in the U.S.). It has legitimate historical roots.

Celebrated every year on April 7th, National Beer Day marks the exact day in 1933 when Americans could once again legally buy, sell, and drink beer after 13 years of Prohibition.

The day commemorates the Cullen-Harrison Act, which President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law on March 22, 1933. Due to bureaucratic delays, it didn’t take effect until April 7th.

Upon signing the bill, Roosevelt famously remarked, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.” Many historians suggest the president may have continued celebrating for days — eventually passing out and reportedly being dragged off the White House lawn.

But Roosevelt wasn’t alone in his enthusiasm.

After more than a decade of federally imposed abstinence (which also helped give rise to organized crime and gangsters like Al Capone), the law’s passage was met with near-bacchanalian fervor. Americans packed barrooms from coast to coast, and an estimated 1.5 million barrels of beer were consumed that day — a number that still stands as inspiration for all of us today.

Bottom Line

Despite our occasional cynical complaints about too many meaningless beer days, American Craft Beer remains an active supporter of National Beer Day.

Because it specifically celebrates beer — America’s most beloved adult beverage — and we hope you’ll join us again this year.

###