A day dedicated to beer?? Could it be??? I had to learn why and how. It couldn't just be because someone out there thinks the same as I do—that beer is amazing and deserves its own national day!

I learned that this national day actually has a lot of history behind it, and it goes something like this:

National Beer Day started on February 20, 1933, with the motion to repeal the Volstead Act, also known as the National Prohibition Act. On March 13, 1933, President Roosevelt formally recommended a looser interpretation of the Volstead act: “I recommend to Congress the passage of legislation for the immediate modification of the Volstead Act in order to legalize the manufacture and sale of beer." This would limit the alcohol in beer to one-half percent.

On March 21, 1933, the House of Representatives completed action on the Cullen-Harrison Bill permitting the resumption of manufacture and sale of 3.2% beer and light wines to states considered legally wet. (Prior to this date beer and wine could not be over 2.7%). Two days later President Roosevelt signed the bill. In the mandatory 15-day wait after the signing of the bill, the hype and excitement grew by leaps and bounds. W-G-N radio station latched on to the excitement and scheduled Quinn Ryan to do on-site coverage at the Atlas Brewing Company in Chicago Thursday night and Friday morning. He gave descriptions of the manufacturing process straight through to the loading of the trucks and on into delivery.

At 12:01 a.m. on April 7, 1933, the drinking light was turned on again legally after 13 years of being either dark or as some say, dimly lit. As the trucks rolled out of the breweries, they were escorted by police officers to their destinations, and to the delight of thousands the beer was cold. One of the most noticeable differences was the large number of females joining in the festivities.

In the end it boils down to several things, one of which was the statement that Prohibition taught them how to make beer. "When you are selling a beverage for its taste only and not for a kick you must strive for perfection. It’s hard to make a drink out of nothing but the brewers did it." It created a ripple affect not only creating jobs for an estimated 15,000 in Chicago alone, but all over the United States with a new need for coal, more transportation, grain and so on.

Who knew Brew Year’s Eve, or as we call it today National Beer Day, stemmed from such a monumental bill signing! So in honor of today, grab your favorite beer, sit back and make a toast to all those that worked long and hard so we could freely drink a beer whenever we want.

Nadine Sweeten , ABC Fine Wine & Spirits beer consultant - Sarasota

Follow me on Twitter @abcbeernadines