There are quite a few “beer holidays” that provide an excellent excuse to enjoy a craft brew or three (in case any day that ends in “y” isn’t excuse enough to enjoy a craft brew or three). The origins of most of them are kinda vague and fuzzy and apropos-of-nothing-of-historical-significance-that’s-specific-to-the-day, but it’s always fun to play along, right? Some of the sudsy calendrical celebrations are already in the rear-view mirror: Beer Can Appreciation Day (January 24), National Beer Day/Session Beer Day (April 7), King Gambrinus Day (April 11) and German Beer Day (April 23). But you should mark your calendars and/or set an Apple Watch alert for these upcoming beery bashes: National Homebrew Day (May 7), IPA Day (August 4), International Beer Day (August 5), Sour Beer Day (September 10), American Beer Day (October 27), International Stout Day (November 3), Repeal Day (December 5) and National Lager Day (December 10).
I’m trotting out this reasons-to-be-cheersful list to call attention to the soon-come seven-day holiday – American Craft Beer Week – which runs from May 16 to 22, because sometimes one day isn’t sufficient to honor the glorious liquid we call beer. It’s the 11th annual self-toasting by the Brewers Association, the alliance of small, independent and traditional (debatable/relative/ever-shifting terms given the big-brewers-buying-small-brewers mania and growth of the veteran mega-craft outfits, but that’s a discussion for another day) beer makers, marketers, distributors and peripheral bizzers. The rallying cry is “Big Week, Small Breweries.” We’ll drink to that!
The peeps at CraftBeer.com, the Brewers Association’s website, wax effusive: “At the end of 2015, there were 4,269 breweries operating in the United States – the highest number of active breweries since 1873. That impressive number alone is reason to celebrate, especially when you consider that 30 years ago ‘experts’ believed that the country would soon have fewer than five breweries, all making a very similar product. Boy, were they off!”
There will be a wide range of pint nights, beer dinners, tap takeovers and other fun at bars and stores all over the state; I don’t have details now, but will post updates at the fine blog listed at the end of this column. But wherever you find yourself on Thursday, May 19 at 8pm, the Brewers Association invites you to “join the entire craft beer community in a nationwide toast. Brewers, beertenders and craft beer aficionados around the country can take this opportunity to collectively raise their glasses to our great American craft beer culture and the brewing pioneers who opened the door to the diversity of flavors and choices that we enjoy today.”
PS: Plan ahead for Providence Craft Beer Week, from October 10 to 15. The handle is a misnomer: There are happenings all over the state, and the cornerstone event is Beervana, which is in Cranston. Let’s flex the Motif muscle and start referring to it as Rhode Island Craft Beer Week. Done and done!
To get ready for American Craft Beer Week, mix a six-pack (or a 12- or 18-pack) of tasty beers from these all-over-the-US breweries that have recently entered the Vo Dilun market: von Trapp Brewing (Austrian-inspired lagers; sip ’em whilst watching The Sound of Music); Maui Brewing Co. (look for Bikini Blonde Lager, Big Swell IPA, CoCoNut PorTer and Mana Wheat); Brewmaster Jack, straight outta Northampton, Massachusetts, who espouse a “nebulous blob of love for craft beer;” DuClaw Brewing Company, from Baltimore, Maryland, whose motto is “Respect the Fluid” — their highly acclaimed fluid includes Dirty Little Freak (coconut caramel chocolate brown ale) and Sweet Baby Jesus!, a decadently delicious chocolate peanut butter porter; and Evil Genius Beer Company (from West Grove, Pennsylvania), which boasts the equally savory Purple Monkey Dishwasher Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter, plus Stacy’s Mom Citra IPA and Evil Eye PA (they ’fess up to having “very silly names for very serious beers”).
Huzzah to more choices! And why not Make Up Your Own Beer Holiday Day?! (Make Up Your Own Holiday Day was on March 26, but it’s never too late to join the faux fun!)
More Posts by The Author:
Got Beer? Reaching Beervana: There’s no suffering, but there’s plenty of desire
Got Beer? What’s Brewing? Swim into an ocean of beer news
Got Beer? Don’t Lose Your Head: Hit up these events sure to keep your pint glass full
Got Beer? Suds Tsunami: Are we approaching peak beer?
Got Beer? Making Oatmeal: RI brewers are hard at work
