Justin Smith pictured on the right!
Did you know that there is a National Beer Day? Now if you work at a brewery or brewpub you might think that every day is National Beer Day but there is an official day to celebrate. Who knew?
The holiday was first celebrated in 2009 by Justin Smith of Richmond, Virginia. (We presume that the idea was born after consuming a few fine craft beers.) After prodding from his friends Justin started a Facebook page which prompted Untappd to create a badge for National Beer Day to rewarded participants that checked a beer into the app on April 7.
National Beer Day was officially recognized by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2017. National Beer Day was officially recognized in the Congressional Record by Congressman Dave Brat in 2017.
In 2018, House Joint Resolution 90 was introduced in Virginia General Assembly to officially recognize National Beer Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
So raise a pint today to Justin Smith founder of National Beer Day!
For those who want the historical info here you (You know who you are.):
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 This led to the Eighteenth Amendment being repealed on December 5, 1933, with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Upon signing the legislation, Roosevelt made his famous remark, "I think this would be a good time for a beer." 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.
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 and should not be confused with Repeal Day celebrated on December 5.
National Beer Day was officially recognized by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2017. National Beer Day was officially recognized in the Congressional Record by Congressman Dave Brat in 2017.
In 2018, House Joint Resolution 90 was introduced in Virginia General Assembly to officially recognize National Beer Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia.