If there is one thing home brewers love more than sampling the fruits of their own labors, it’s sharing a pint of their signature brews with other beer-loving friends. DIY beer aficionados across the U.S. will participate in a simultaneous toast on Saturday, May 5 to honor National Homebrew Day (which is officially recognized as May 7). As this is only a few short weeks after National Beer Day, we are truly spoiled with riches.
Sure, you can raise a glass in your own home, but there are also some fun events happening around the country that day to celebrate the world of homebrew and pay homage to the 1 million-plus home brewers in the country.
National Homebrew Day is organized by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), and you can visit them online to look for gatherings in your area. Events can happen in a home or backyard, a brew shop, or a local brewery. There are lots of possibilities and only one rule: All revelers should raise a glass together for a simultaneous toast at 1 p.m. EST.
An example of the day’s celebrations is High Altitude Home Brew Supply’s group brewing event which will be held at the Mother Road Brewery and Taproom in Flagstaff, Arizona. Folks near Clarkston, Washington can visit Riverport Brewing Company and help out the Wizards of Ale homebrew club create a Mexican-inspired stout and a Vienna Lager.
Don’t see any events in your home town listed at the AHA website? Don’t be shy — you can create your own shindig and submit it to the AHA for inclusion in their list of Homebrew Day activities. You can also follow along with the fun on Twitter by using the hashtag #BigBrew.
If you need inspiration for your next brew day, the AHA has released two recipes on the National Homebrew Day page of its website. You can view all grain or extract recipes for Rocky Raccoon’s Honey Lager or Dusty Mud Irish-style Stout. Both recipes were chosen by Charlie Papazian, who founded the American Homebrewers Association 40 years ago.
