I can’t believe I missed blogging about it (yesterday turned into a really busy, hectic day), but yesterday was International Brewers Day. Haven’t heard of that holiday yet? Don’t worry, you will—even though it’s not an official holiday yet, I suspect that will change.

IBD is the brainchild of Jay Brooks, and here’s the idea:

Ever since I saw this “Have You Hugged A Brewmaster Today?” sticker on the door to the brewery at San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery & Restaurant, the idea of starting a holiday to honor the men and women who make the great beer we love has been percolating in my brain. So I’m proposing now that we set aside a day as International Brewer’s Day, a day to raise a toast and honor all the brewers in the world. For the date, I’m proposing July 18, which is the feast day for St. Anou of Metz (also known as Arnulf, Arnould, and most famously as St. Arnold), one of the patron saints of beer. This is the way holidays begin, just by a group of people deciding to start one and spreading it from there. The real trick is acceptance as a holiday. So I suggest we start out small and on July 18, similar to the Sessions (but only once a year), as many who are interested write about a brewer you feel is worthy of recognition.

I don’t have a specific brewer in mind other than pointing out the many excellent brewers we have here in Central Oregon. Like Larry Sidor and Jimmy Seifert (the latter who I met) at Deschutes. And Tonya Cornett of Bend Brewing Company. And Tyler Reichert of Silver Moon Brewing. And Mark Henion of Cascade Lakes Brewing. And Paul Cook of Wildfire Brewing. And Mike White of McMenamin’s Old St. Francis School.

(Is that everybody? I think that’s everybody…)

Happy belated International Brewers Day.