International Beer Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday of August to recognize the global culture and craftsmanship behind beer. Founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California by Jesse Avshalomov, the day has expanded from a local gathering into a worldwide event celebrated in over 80 countries and 200 cities.
This international celebration has three main goals:
- Enjoy beer with friends.
- Celebrate brewers and those who serve beer.
- Try beers from other cultures and bring the world together through beer.
People mark the day by sharing a beer with someone else, thanking brewers and bartenders, and stepping outside their usual tastes to explore international brews. Events often include beer tastings, happy hours, trivia nights, and food pairings.
Originally held on August 5, the date was moved in 2013 to the first Friday in August after a fan poll. Today, International Beer Day continues to grow as a global tribute to one of the oldest and most popular beverages in the world.
🍹 We have a dedicated list of alcohol-related national days, in case you want to discover more holidays like this one.
The official social media accounts that were originally ran by the founder and/or associates have quietly died years ago, but this Youtube video from 2011 gives you an idea of what the founder had in mind:
When is International Beer Day?
Mark your calendars! International Beer Day is a global celebration held on the first Friday of August each year. Whether you’re planning a brewery visit, a beer tasting event, or simply raising a glass at home, knowing the exact date helps you prepare for the festivities. In the table below are the dates for International Beer Day up to the year 2030:
| Year | Date (Including Weekday) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Friday, August 1 |
| 2026 | Friday, August 7 |
| 2027 | Friday, August 6 |
| 2028 | Friday, August 4 |
| 2029 | Friday, August 3 |
| 2030 | Friday, August 2 |
Best Ways to Celebrate International Beer Day
International Beer Day is a fantastic opportunity to appreciate the rich variety and culture of beer. Here are some of the best ways people celebrate this day, along with details on potential deals and specials:
Visit Local Breweries and Pubs
The obvious number one thing to do on International Beer Day is visit one or several breweries and/or pubs. Some pubs may offer beer tastings, discounts on pints, and limited-edition brews, others not. But most importantly, make sure you thank the brewers and bartenders and make sure they know how much you appreciate them—this is something the founder suggested one should do in this article from 2011.
Host a Beer Tasting Party
Gather friends for a beer tasting at home or at a local pub. Have a list of beers to try, covering a range from IPAs to sours and lagers. Make the experience special by including tasting notes and food pairings.
Learn About Beer
Use this day to educate yourself about the history and brewing process of beer. Watch documentaries, read an article about the history of beer, or even join a brewery tour to see the process firsthand.
Before You Go:
We have many more national days lists for you to explore.
- Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
- Non-food national days: National Days Calendars 2024-2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
- Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.
📝 This article was originally published on July 23rd, 2024. It has been thoroughly updated, and the publishing date has been changed to reflect the new version.
