National Today Friday August 4 International Beer Day

International Beer Day
Raise a glass to one of the oldest man-made beverages.





Beer is  one of the oldest drinks the world has ever known. International Beer Day gives fans worldwide just one more excuse to have a round on the first Friday in August. Beer has a reputation as the drink of choice for the ordinary working man or woman. When it’s served up cold and frothy or strong and We celebrate International Beer Day on the first Friday in August every year – August 4, when summer’s end begins to loom large. The start of another weekend beckons us to put aside our work, set aside differences, and come together to celebrate our shared love of beer.

Beer somehow manages to do what politicians have tried to do for centuries – unite people in a common cause for good. Our insatiable thirst for beer gives us reason to pause; to stop what we’re doing, sit down and converse with one another over a pint or two. The conversation may be pleasant or not, calm or animated, but somehow beer makes it possible to agree to disagree and still walk away friends. Plenty of us have no doubt solved many of the world’s problems over a few pints of beer.

When is International Beer Day 2023?

International Beer Day is on August 4 and we’re ready to raise our glasses and drink to it!

History of International Beer Day

Celebrating mankind’s common thirst for what is likely the world’s oldest and most beloved beverage is what International Beer Day is all about. Humans have been fascinated with beer since the first grains were accidentally discovered to have fermented, producing a bubbly aromatic product that someone dared to taste then drink, did not die but instead felt a lovely little buzz, smiled and said, “Wow.” Mankind has been obsessed ever since with perfecting beer recipes and brewing processes in pursuit of the next “Wow.”

Beer has been consumed by almost every culture throughout human history. The oldest evidence of man’s obsession with brewing beer dates back to ancient Babylonia and Mesopotamia. Archaeologists have unearthed recipes for beer that were written on clay tablets in 4300 B.C., and ceramic vessels from 3400 B.C. that are still sticky with beer residue. Everyone drank beer in ancient Egypt: pharaohs, peasants, priests, even children, as part of their everyday diet.

What may be the first song about beer, “Hymn to Ninkasi”—an ode to the Sumerian goddess of beer—dates back to 1800 B.C.  and includes a recipe for a beer brewed by female priestesses.

By the Middle Ages, Christian monks were brewing beers, and introduced the use of hops. Until then, beers were brewed with local additives like dates and olive oils to add flavor. Today’s beers continue to be brewed with hops, herbs, or fruits that add flavor. Macro, micro, or craft, the art of brewing beer today remains a craft that employs age-old techniques carefully perfected over centuries and millennium.

Our collective love of beer is what Jesse Avshalomov no doubt had on his mind back in August of 2007 while he and a few friends enjoyed some conversation and brews in the beach community of Santa Cruz, California. Back then his reasons for founding International Beer Day were:

   Gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer
   Celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer
   Unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day

In retrospect, Jesse’s LinkedIn profile reads he “…invented International Beer Day as an experiment in virality gone horribly right.”  

To you, Jesse. Cheers!


International Beer Day - Survey Results

Data gathered by a top Minneapolis Marketing Agency

International Beer Day Around the World

International Beer Day is one of many beverage holidays celebrated throughout the world. Here are some other popular ones from across the globe.
International Beer Day Around the World
Country Holiday Occasion Date
Germany Germans enthusiastically celebrate and drink beer. Germans enthusiastically celebrate and drink beer. April 23
Iceland Beer Day Iceland celebrates drinking beer after it has been banned for a decade. May 1
Italy Espresso Italiano Day A day dedicated to celebrating coffee. Third Friday in April
Ireland St. Patrick’s Day The luck of the Irish and, of course, Irish Whiskey is celebrated. March 17
India National Milk Day As an agricultural country, India celebrates the many wonderful joys of milk. November 26
International Beer Day Traditions

Happy hours, chugging competitions, and enjoying someone’s company over a glass of beer; go “Bottoms up!” on International Beer Day. Most people unite and have a good time over servings of beer. Friends are convinced to buy a round of beer for the gang and, with some luck, a local bartender may offer some on the house. These memorable moments make their way to social media with popular hashtags for everyone to see.

Special deals and hours are set in pubs and breweries, with some places kicking it up a notch and presenting beer in custom-designed glasses. The bartenders and servers who work round the clock to provide great conversation and beer just the way we like it are appreciated and tipped generously.

International Beer Day By The Numbers

50 billion – the gallons of beer consumed every year all over the world.
8% – the percentage increase in brewing jobs in the U.S. since 2016.
$328.4 billion – the number of dollars contributed towards the economy by the beer industry in 2018.
2.2 million – the number of people employed by the beer industry.
$503,300 – the price of the world’s most expensive beer — Allsopp’s Arctic Ale.
$1.9 billion – the number of dollars contributed to the U.S. economy by Oregon’s beer industry.
1.6% – the percentage of gross domestic product the beer industry in the U.S. contributed in 2018.
912,092 – the number of people who work in malt-beverage retail.
7–10°C – the temperature at which lagers should be stored.
40% – the percentage decrease in the risk of developing kidney stones by drinking beer moderately.


International Beer Day Activities

   Sing beer songs at Karaoke

   Tune up the twang in your voice and head out to your nearest Karaoke venue to pay tribute to beer. Nobody sings about beer like American country music artists. Don’t worry about being able to carry a tune on International Beer Day. Just add a little southern drawl to that twang, and everyone will be singing along with you, celebrating your good taste in music…and beer.

   Earn your wings

   …with a test flight of beers, that is, at a local taproom. It’s a big beer world, so step out and try something new on International Beer Day. Better yet, why not make a day of it? Tour the brewery first to learn about the science behind brewing beer and then do some flight testing.

   Be Generous

   If you are a regular at your local pub, tavern or taproom, leave an extra generous tip at the bar today. Tell your bartender how much you appreciate him or her. Take their photo and post it on your social media sites with lots of kisses and hugs. And please remember to drink and post responsibly.

5 Ode To Beer Hit Country Songs

   "I Like Beer"

   Recorded by American country music artist Tom T. Hall and released in August 1975, this beer song peaked at #4 as a U.S. country music single.

   "Pretty Good at Drinkin' Beer"

   Recorded by American country music artist Billy Currington and released in May 2010, this was a #1 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

   "Beer in Mexico"

   Written and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney and released in January 2007, this beer song was a #1 hit on U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

   "Drink a Beer"

   Recorded by American country music artist Luke Bryan and released in November 2013, this beer song hit #1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

   "Bubbles in My Beer"

   This western swing song was originally recorded by “Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys” in 1947 and has been a bar room standard performed by countless country music artists ever since.

Why We Love International Beer Day

   A beer for every budget

   We make no judgement when it comes to your taste in beer. Whether you pick up cheap macro brews on the way home from work, or savor craft brews at the taproom, we’re just happy there is a beer for every budget to enjoy on International Beer Day.

   Memories

   Beer. The adult beverage of choice at reunions, backyard cookouts, and get-togethers with friends and family for centuries. Someone always offers to bring the beer. We think today is a fine day to open a cold one and enjoy reminiscing about days gone by with a toast to those whose memories we love and cherish.

   Another reason to drink beer

   Oh, come on! Who doesn’t love waking up and seeing today is devoted to beer? We admit we don’t need a reason to enjoy a beer today. But knowing there are millions of beer lovers all around the world bending elbows together to enjoy a brewski makes us feel like family on International Beer Day. Remember: Drink responsibly.