National Beer Day (United States)

National Beer Day is celebrated in the United States every year on April 7, marking the day that the Cullen–Harrison Act was enacted after having been signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 22, 1933. This led to the Eighteenth Amendment being repealed on December 5, 1933, with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[1] April 6, the day prior to National Beer Day, is known as New Beer's Eve.[2]

For other uses, see National Beer Day.

Background

Upon signing the legislation, Roosevelt made his famous remark, "I think this would be a good time for a beer."[3][4] The law went into effect on April 7 of that year in states that had enacted their own law allowing such sales. The beer could contain up to 3.2% alcohol by weight (or 4.05% by volume) compared to the 0.5% limit of the Volstead Act because 3.2% was considered too low to produce intoxication.[5][6]

People across the country responded by gathering outside breweries, some beginning the night before. On that first day, 1.5 million barrels of beer were consumed, inspiring the future holiday. Today, April 7 is recognized as National Beer Day, and April 6 is known as New Beer's Eve.[7][8][9][10]

The Cullen-Harrison Act was not the official end of prohibition in the US (that happened on December 5, 1933, when the 21st Amendment was ratified). What the Cullen-Harrison Act did do was redefine an "intoxicating beverage" under the Volstead Act. As such, April 7 is a beer specific holiday[11] and should not be confused with Repeal Day celebrated on December 5.[12]

Recognition

National Beer Day was first celebrated in 2009 by Justin Smith of Richmond, Virginia.[13] [14]After much prodding from his friend, Mike Connolly, Smith started a Facebook page that was noticed by Colorado Beer Examiner, Eli Shayotovich. Smith's promotion of the new observance day via various social media outlets was rewarded when the beer drinking app Untappd created a badge for National Beer Day that rewarded participants that checked a beer into the app on April 7.[15] National Beer Day has since been trending on social media every year on April 7 using the hashtag #NationalBeerDay.[16]

National Beer Day was officially recognized by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2017.[17]

National Beer Day was officially recognized in the Congressional Record by Congressman Dave Brat in 2017.[18]

In 2018, House Joint Resolution 90 was introduced in Virginia General Assembly to officially recognize National Beer Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia.[19]

References
  1. W. Paul Reeve. "Prohibition Failed to Stop the Liquor Flow in Utah". Utah History to Go. Retrieved November 7, 2013. (First published in History Blazer, February 1995)
  2. "New Beer's Eve: Happy days were here again". CNN. April 7, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  3. "Post". fdrlibrary.tumblr.com. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  4. Smith, Jean Edward (2007). F.D.R. New York, N.Y.: Random House. pp. 305, 316. ISBN 978-0-8129-7049-4. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  5. Ogle, Maureen; Historian, Beer. "The End Is Near For 3.2 Beer". NPR.org. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  6. "Low-alcohol beer", Wikipedia, April 7, 2020, retrieved April 9, 2020
  7. "National Beer Day | Beer Travel, sand Brewing Industry Events, Local Parties: Anytown". Ratebeer.com. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  8. Wolters, Larry (April 2, 1933). "W-G-N To Report Festivities on New Beer'S Eve". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
  9. Rasmussen, Frederick N. (April 13, 2008). "When Baltimoreans Hailed `New Beer'S Eve'". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
  10. Burkhart, Jeff (April 2, 2008). "Barfly: a toast to the end of a 'noble experiment,' Prohibition". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  11. "Cheers to National Beer Day". Beer Institute. April 6, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  12. Editors, History com. "Prohibition ends". HISTORY. Retrieved May 29, 2019.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  13. "*Clink* Cheers! Have a brew in honor of National Beer Day". WRIC.
  14. "MEET THE GODFATHER OF NATIONAL BEER DAY".
  15. "National Beer Day 2011". Untappd – Drink Socially.
  16. +AmericanCraftBeer.com (April 7, 2017). "American Craft Beer Celebrates National Beer Day!". American Craft Beer. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. "Congressional Record". www.congress.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  19. "Bill Tracking - 2018 session > Legislation". Lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
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