National Homebrew Day is on May 7. It is an annual event initiated by the American Homebrewers Association to celebrate the art of craft beer creation. It serves as an opportunity for its members to share and learn new brewing techniques from the annual brewing event it hosts to observe the day. Fun fact: Brewing, like baking, is one of the longest-standing hobbies! The holiday was officially launched to serve as a day to gather the community of homebrewers and craft beverage enthusiasts together to expose attendees to the latest in the world of homebrewing.
History of National Homebrew Day
National Homebrew Day was first observed on May 7, 1988, after the U.S. Congress declared the date as National Homebrew Day. To celebrate that occasion, the American Homebrewers Association created what is now known as the official event that marks the celebration of the day; the Big Brew event. It takes place on the first Saturday in May, with homebrewers across the U.S. and the world participating in homebrew demos and trials of new recipes.
Beer and other beverages have been brewed domestically for centuries, beginning in the Neolithic period in modern-day Iraq, Egypt, and China. Although, not until 1857, when French microbiologist Louis Pasteur explained the role of yeast in beer fermentation, did it become widely produced and sold around the world.
So much so that the volume of people’s desire for it in the united states caused a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933 led by a government aimed to heal what they believed was an ill society plagued by alcohol-related problems such as alcoholism, family violence, and saloon-based political corruption.
Not until President Jimmy Carter signed the H.R. 1337 bill into law on October 14, 1978, did homebrewed beer without federal taxation become legal for the first time since the prohibition of 1920.
The law also kickstarted a period of interest in the art of homebrewing that led to different breeds of homebrewers, some of whom hold on to time-honored traditions and some who push the edge of flavor and experimentation.
National Homebrew Day timeline
Breweries across the United States are banned from producing alcohol.
The American Homebrewers Association who initiated the holiday works on behalf of the homebrewing community.
Charlie Papazian releases one of the most revered books on homebrewing within months of its full legalization.
May 7 marks the day National Homebrew Day is announced as an annual event to celebrate the art of homebrewing across the country.
National Homebrew Day FAQs
What is considered a homebrewed beer?
Any beverage that is custom-made from inception to consumption can be considered homebrewed. Beer is a popular type of beverage to brew at home.
Why does homebrewing matter?
Homebrewing provides the kind of customization option that’s rarely matched by factory-produced beverages. It gives brewers the avenue to adjust recipes according to their preferences.
How do I celebrate National Homebrew Day?
Buying your favorite type of craft beer or trying it out for the first time is a good place to start your celebrations.
National Homebrew Day Activities
Buy or make a homebrewed beer
To celebrate National Homebrew Day, enjoy your brand of craft beer or brew a custom beer with your favorite beer-making ingredients. You may learn how to do that on the American Homebrewer Association’s website. Once you do and have made magic, consider hosting a small party to share the outcome of your craft with friends.
Take AHA’s pledge
Take the Big Brew Pledge that comes with the annual American Homebrewer Association’s brewing event and commit to attending. Big Brew is the American Homebrewers Association's event to celebrate National Homebrew Day. To celebrate the day, take the pledge and attend the event.
Join the brewing event
The annual #BigBrew event the American Homebrewers Association holds provides a very rare opportunity for the brewers to get together to share and learn from each other. You should attend if you are a brewer or are interested in creating craft beers. The association encourages participants to post #BigBrew pictures to social media, tag @HomebrewAssoc, and use #NationalHomebrewDay to post on social media.
5 Important Facts About National Homebrew Day
The holiday’s annual recipe is online
The official Big Brew recipes for its yearly brewing event can be found online and features techniques for beginners and experienced brewers.
The AHA has thousands of members
The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) recently celebrated a membership milestone of more than 40,000 homebrewers.
A record-breaking feet
The AHA’s annual brewing event for 2020 that was moved online due to COVID was reported to have been attended by a record-breaking 7,000+ homebrewers across the globe.
Millions of people brew in the U.S.
According to reports, over a million people are brewing their beer every year in the U.S.
Homebrewing and the H.R. 1337 bill
Homebrewing was made fully legal by H.R. 1337, which became law on October 14, 1978.
Why We Love National Homebrew Day
It celebrates a long homebrewing tradition
National Homebrew Day is important to celebrate the long culture of brewing beers and other beverages at home. People choose to brew their own beer for a variety of reasons. For some, it is to avoid a higher cost of buying equivalent beverages. For others, it is for the freedom to adjust recipes according to one's preference.
It creates an avenue to learn new techniques
According to it, one of the goals of the annual #BigBrew event the American Homebrewers Association holds is to provide the opportunity for the community of new craft beer enthusiasts and the more experienced ones to share and learn new brewing techniques. The event aims to expose attendees to the latest in the world of homebrewing.
It exposes people to new technology
One of the upsides of an event like the annual #BigBrew event is that it exposes craftspeople to the newer technologies to get the work done along with techniques. According to the American Homebrewers Association who organizes it as a way to celebrate National Homebrew Day, that is the goal of the event.
National Homebrew Day dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | May 7 | Wednesday |
2026 | May 7 | Thursday |
2027 | May 7 | Friday |
2028 | May 7 | Sunday |
2029 | May 7 | Monday |