National American Beer Day is a holiday that’s observed annually on October 27th and celebrates the storied history of beer making in America. Even before the United States was a country, beer was being brewed in North America by Native Americans using corn, berries, and other ingredients. Since then, every generation of immigrants has contributed something to the beer landscape in the U.S., making it a country with some of the most diverse beer-making traditions on the planet.

The History of U.S. Beer Brewing

Although Native Americans brewed beer for a long time before non-native people began to arrive in North America, the first commercial brewery in the U.S. wouldn’t be built until 1632. This is when the Dutch West India Company opened one on Brewer’s Street in Lower Manhattan. Up until the mid-1800s, much of the beer available in the U.S. was British-style ales. However, this would change when German immigrants introduced lager-style beers that had a longer shelf-life and were more profitable for large-scale manufacturing and distribution. Lagers have hops that extend their shelf-life and allowed them to outlast the non-hopped British ales.

After lagers were introduced to the U.S., several different styles from Central Europe were enjoyed by the general public. However, it would be the Pilsener style that would eventually outpace all other types of lagers. Pilsener beers were made with Czech hops, rice or corn, and lightly roasted barley. In Milwaukee, Best Brewing was started by German immigrant Phillip Best in the 1840s. Other breweries soon followed, including the Miller Brewing Company and Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company.

Eberhard Anheuser purchased a brewery in St. Louis in 1860. His daughter married Adolphus Busch, a brewery supplier who would take over the brewery after Eberhard’s death. Adolphus renamed the brewery Anheuser-Busch. He would later go on a tour of Europe and discovered a beer in the town of Budweis in Bohemia. He loved this Bohemian lager so much, he decided to brew his own style of Bohemian lager named Budweiser. Thanks to this beer and the company’s use of refrigerated rail cars, Anheuser-Busch would become the first national beer brand sold in the U.S.

Observing National American Beer Day

Anyone yearning to observe National American Beer Day can do so first and foremost by responsibly enjoying one of the many American beers that are produced nowadays. Not only are there a variety of multinational American beer company brands to choose from, but there are also plenty of local artisan brewers as well. And while you’re enjoying the best beers that America has to offer, why not take a few moments and post on the Internet using the hashtag #NationalBeerDay or #NationalAmericanBeerDay to let everyone know you’re enjoying this holiday.