Thursday, August 4, 2011

What are your favorite Beers?

By Diane Forrest


Today is International Beer day; it was founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California.  The purpose for this day is to gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer; second, to celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer; and third, and to bring the world together under the united banner of beer by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures together.

Participants are encouraged to give one another the gift of beer by buying each other drinks and to express gratitude to brewers, bartenders, and so forth by means of generous tips, thank you notes, or whatever else may be appropriate. In the international spirit of the holiday, it is also suggested that participants step out of their domestic/locally brewed comfort zone and sample a beer from another culture.

International Beer Day began as a celebration at the founders’ local bar, but has since expanded to become a worldwide event. Celebrations are planned throughout the U.S. and in the Philippines, Turkey, Australia, Israel, England, Estonia, South Africa, Canada, Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

My neighbor had traveled to Germany to visit his wife's family.  Since he did not speak German, but did know the word Heineken, he walked into a pub, held up his index finger, and said Heineken.  The bartender placed 2 bottles in front of him.  Thinking it was happy hour, he drank them both.  The next day, same thing happened.  When he returned home he learned that in Germany, they begin counting with their thumb, so 1 beer would have been a thumb, the index finger indicates 2.  So…not only did he learn something, but got happy in the process!

I’m not a beer drinker, however if it’s a hot Mississippi day, and you are out on the lake, and there is a cold ice chest full of ice cold beer, there is nothing better.  So, today, on International Beer Day, celebrate by joining some friends and trying a beer from another country.

For more information on International Beer Day visit this site, you can also find them on Facebook.



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