National Beer Lover’s Day is observed annually on September 7th.
Beer and the process of brewing beer may predate known history. As varied as the methods, grains, and flavors, beer continues to change and evolve over time.
Virginia colonists brewed beer. William Penn included a place for brewing beer within the colony of Pennsylvania which can still be visited at Pennsbury Manor today. The first President of the United States recorded a recipe for brewing beer in his notes. Samuel Adams holds a place in both beer and tea history in this country. There were a few beer lovers and patriots among the nation’s founders.
The United States also derives its rich brewing history from beer-loving German immigrants during the mid-1800s. Some of those immigrants families’ names are as familiar today as they were a hundred years ago.
While some names have faded into the past, smaller batch brewers continue to experiment with old and new recipes. The crafting of beer carries rich traditions, often requiring years of training and experience in the trade. Depending on the brewery, the path to brewmaster may take years to develop the skill and expertise necessary to produce a quality beer every time. One certain requirement is a love of beer and the craft.
Beer Fun Facts
- Most Beer Labels In The United States Are Approved By Just One Man. Kent “Battle” Martin is a quirky bureaucrat who is revered and reviled in equal parts by the brewers that must deal with him. He is the sole person in charge of approving labels for the Tax and Trade Bureau, a section of the Treasury Department. It’s his job to make sure each label is appropriate and does not mislead the consumer in any way. He approved over 29,500 beer labels in 2014 alone.
- Japanese Beer Cans Have Braille. To help the visually impaired pick the right drink, Japanese cans of beer and cider are helpfully stamped with “alcohol” written in Braille. Cans from the Japanese brewery Kirin are a little different—they read, “Kirin Beer.”
- Beer Is An Old Favorite. Beer’s history is pretty murky, and no one has been able to pin down its exact origins. Many point to Ancient Mesopotamia as the first place with evidence of beer. Archeologists have found ceramic containers dating back to 3400 BCE that still have beer residue.
- Germany serves beer ice cream in popsicle form. Its alcoholic content is less than that found in “classic” beer.
- In 1962, Iron City beer was the brand used to test-market the concept of tab opening aluminum cans. By 1970, over 90% of all beer cans were self-opening.
- Prohibition, beginning on January 16, 1920, lasted 13 years, 10 months, 19 days, 17 hours, and 32-1/2 minutes, and was rescinded on December 5, 1933, at 3:32 p.m.
- Centuries ago in England, pub visitors used a novel innovation that enabled them to get their beer served quickly. They used mugs with a whistle baked into the rim, the whistle being used to summon the barmaid. It has been suggested this practice gave birth to the phrase “wet your whistle.”
- A beer lover or enthusiast is called a cerevisaphile
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