National American Beer Day: How American Beer Went From Colonial Brew Kettles to 9,000 Breweries

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Every October 27, American beer gets its own day. National American Beer Day is a toast to beer brewed in the United States, from the colonial kettles of the 1600s to the more than 9,000 breweries operating today. The day's exact origin is hazy — it gained traction in the 2000s alongside the craft beer community — but the history it celebrates is anything but.

A Short History of Beer in America

Beer arrived with the first colonists. Virginia settlers brewed some of the first American beers in 1587, and the colonies' first commercial brewery followed in the early 1600s in New Amsterdam, now New York City. By 1829, D.G. Yuengling & Son opened in Pottsville, Pennsylvania — still operating today as America's oldest brewery.

The 19th century changed everything. Waves of German immigrants brought lager brewing with them, and lager's crisp, clean profile turned the United States into a beer-drinking nation, with brewing powerhouses rising in Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. Then came the great interruption: Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, closed nearly every brewery in the country, and after repeal the industry consolidated into a handful of large brewers making light lagers.

The comeback started small. Homebrewing became legal at the federal level in 1978, Anchor Brewing relaunched in San Francisco in 1971, Sierra Nevada released its flagship pale ale in 1980, and the Boston Beer Company followed in 1984. From fewer than 50 breweries in 1978, the United States now counts more than 9,000.

The Styles America Made Its Own

American lager remains the most common style from the big brewers: cold, crisp, and built for a hot day. The craft revolution added the styles the world now associates with American brewing. American pale ale, led by Sierra Nevada's 1980 classic, balances malt with citrusy American hops. American IPA pushes that further — bold, bitter, and hop-forward, in West Coast, New England, and Double or Imperial forms. Older indigenous styles never left either: cream ale, amber ale, and California common (steam beer) all originated in the United States.

How to Celebrate on October 27

The simplest celebration is a flight: one lager, one pale ale, one IPA, and one dark beer side by side, so the differences in color, aroma, and bitterness do the talking. Brewery tours and taproom tastings are the day's other classic move, and for food, the old pairings still work — salty pretzels, burgers, barbecue, and sharp cheddar. For readers of legal drinking age, of course: this is a day about tasting and history, not excess.

FAQ

When is National American Beer Day?
Every October 27. In 2026 it falls on Tuesday, October 27.

What is the oldest brewery in America?
D.G. Yuengling & Son of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, founded in 1829 and still brewing today.

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