National Beer Day April 7

April 7th is National Beer Day across the United States

Since its first celebration in 2009, increasing numbers of American brewpubs and beer aficionados have jumped on the April 7th bandwagon to raise a glass to beer. In 2017, the day was formally recognized in the US Congressional Record by Virginia Congressman Dave Brat.   

This holiday commemorates the events of April 7, 1933, which pundits at the time called “the most remarkable ‘beer day’ in history.” And how! 

On January 17, 1920, the United States fell under the 18th Amendment’s Prohibition of “intoxicating liquors.” However, in March 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked congress to declare beer “non-intoxicating” so that it would be permitted. The rationale behind this unusual declaration was that legal beer's return would stimulate the economy, which was mired in the Great Depression. The Cullen-Harrison Act set 12:01 a.m. April 7th as the moment that non-intoxicating beer up to 3.2% alcohol by weight (4% by volume) would be permitted.

On the evening of April 6th, which was called "New Beer’s Eve," thousands gathered at the nation’s breweries—30,000 at Anheuser Busch alone—waiting for the “beero hour” that would end a thirteen-year thirst. Thousands more crammed into various downtown watering holes. The celebration that ensued when the calendar turned to April 7th was likened to Mardi Gras, the 4th of July, and New Year’s Eve all rolled into one celebration.  And that may, in fact, be an understatement.  The images both immediately above and below are from Chicago's Berghoff Restaurant post-midnight April 7. Similar scenes occurred in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and countless other cities throughout April 7th.

The economy also started buzzing as legal beer’s return created around half a million jobs, and perhaps more importantly, lifted the nation’s spirits, convincing Americans that the worst of the Depression was over.  A popular refrain was that “happy days are beer again!” Optimism, particularly at a time when it was in short supply, is perhaps the greatest economic stimulus of all. 

My book, The Brew Deal: How Beer Helped Battle the Great Depression (2024, Palgrave Macmillan) tells the full story of beer’s return on April 7, and how it helped the economy turn the corner from the Great Depression. 

I am happy to talk to media, podcasters, or to appear at speaking events.  Feel free to contact me at taylo2je@cmich.edu