National American Beer Day raises a glass to the rich American beer making history and those who savor the continued traditions. Pour your favorite pint with millions who enjoy the storied brews across the nation.
Brewing beer in America begins long before Europeans arrived since Native Americans brewed beer from a variety of ingredients. They used corn, birch sap, and water to ferment their beverage. Then when the first colonists arrived in Virginia, they began combining their brewing traditions with the supplies at hand - that included corn, too. Since then, brewing and brewers became a principal occupation in the colonies. Interestingly, the first white child born in Manhattan grew up to be the first brewer born in America.
Today, the brewery established by David G. Yuengling is the oldest producing brewery in the United States. He established the Eagle Brewery in 1829. Amazingly, the brewery still remains in the family to this day.
Unlike most other breweries of the time, the Eagle Brewery survived Prohibition. In fact, very few survived. Those that did survive tried various legal and illegal tactics. In the Eagle Brewery's case, they reduced their alcohol content to within the legal limit. They also branched out. Ice cream anyone? Yes, the Yuengling's started a dairy. Others turned their beer making supplies into other products. When prohibition lifted, they returned to full-fledged beer making.
Despite these efforts, nearly every brewer existing before prohibition dissolved. Out of just over 1,300 brewers, only about 100 remained after prohibition. Today, we recognize the names of many of those surviving breweries.
The skill of a brewer requires years of practice in the trade. It's revered even. In Milwaukee, their professional baseball team is named after the brewer. In St. Louis and Denver, the stadiums are named after prominent brewers.
Please come along and help celebrate this very important day on the National Day calendar.
Enjoy Cafe Bakery, 112 The Parade, Norwood
06:30 to 07:15