Beer Day Britain

Pub beers. Klaus Heller / pixabay.com / 2015 / CC0 1.0

The 15th of June is Beer Day Britain.

It’s a good day to debate the merits of British beers versus all others — over a pint or two of British beer, of course! 

And if you’re overseas, you can still join in, too. If you have a local English-style pub, meet up there with some friends and order some British brewskies. Or, failing that, buy a few cans from the store, have some friends round, and order in some fish and chips.

@BeerDayBritain #CheersToBeer

Activities

• try out a beer from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland;
• have a taste testing to sample various ones;
• try different types, e.g. ales versus bitters;
• play British music;
• serve British food;
• have a costume party.

At 7 p.m., there’s a song you are supposed to sing:

“Be part of the group that sings the most enthusiastic rendition of the beer anthem ‘Cheers To Beer’ during the National Cheers To Beer at 7pm on June 15th.” ^[1]Cheers to Beer: The Singing Competition. Beer Day Britain. Accessed May 2021 at https://www.beerdaybritain.co.uk/singing/

Here is the song:

If you want to enter a contest, record yourselves singing the song, and upload it to Youtube:

“On Beer Day Britain June 15th please post a video link of your group singing the anthem on Twitter and copy @BeerDayBritain using the hashtag #CheersToBeer. The winning team will be announced in the days after Beer Day Britain.” ^[2]Cheers to Beer: The Singing Competition. Beer Day Britain. Accessed May 2021 at https://www.beerdaybritain.co.uk/singing/

Media pack

Website: https://www.beerdaybritain.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeerDayBritain

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beerdaybritain

History

Beer Day Britain started in 2015. It was the idea of Jane Peyton, an English beer sommelier and author. ^[3]”The commemorative day was first observed in 2015… The national day was put together by British beer sommelier Jane Peyton, who hosts tours of historic London pubs.” — Dunkerley, Jennifer. Cheers! Raise glass to beers on National Beer Day. London, England: Daily Star. 15 June 2018. Accessed May 2021 at https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/national-beer-day-britain-beer-16863155

The 15th was chosen as a date because 15 appears in the year that the Magna Carta was sealed. In Article 35 of the Magna Carta, ale (beer) is mentioned: “Let there be throughout our kingdom a single measure for wine and a single measure for ale and a single measure for corn…..”

And that is the reasoning behind the date.

Sources

Press Association. On National Beer Day, here are 6 surprising health benefits of supping a pint. British Telecom. 15 June 2008. Accessed September 2018 at http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/health/healthy-eating/on-national-beer-day-here-are-6-surprising-health-benefits-of-supping-a-pint-11364278070540