Ways to Celebrate International Beer Day This August 7 For Drinkers, Servers, and Brewers Alike
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International Beer Day is a whole day given over to celebrating beer. Taking part costs nothing but a willingness to enjoy a drink you already like. Put a little intent into it and the day can end with the best beer you have tasted all year,
What Is International Beer Day?
International Beer Day, or IBD, is an annual celebration held on the first Friday of August, which in 2026 falls on August 7. A beer lover named Jesse Avshalomov and a few friends started it on August 5, 2007 in Santa Cruz, California, and held it on that date until 2012 when they moved it to the first Friday of August after a fan poll after 2012. They chose August for the warm northern summer and for its distance from other beer holidays at the time.
The founder created the day three aims in mind. The first is to gather with friends and enjoy a beer together. The second is to celebrate brewers and bartenders. The third is to unite the world by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures on a single day. What began as a local event has grown into a global celebration for beer lovers everywhere, now held across 207 cities in 80 countries and on 6 continents.
Celebrate International Beer Day by Trying a New Beer Style or Visiting a Brewery
The easiest way to celebrate International Beer Day is to drink something you have never tried before. Lagers are crisp and light, pale ales have a bitter, hoppy edge, and stouts are dark and heavy. If you tend to stick to one style, order something at the other end. Many pubs and bottle shops also sell a tasting flight, a row of small pours that lets you taste a range of different beers without committing to a full pint of each.
Take the day further by visiting a brewery. Craft beer can taste sharper and fresher at the source, where the brewers pour it fresh from the tap and can tell you which grain, hops, and yeast went into the batch. Book a tour, sit in the taproom, toast with friends over something local, and say “thanks” to those who brew and serve you.
Enrol in RSA and Hospitality Training
International Beer Day is as much for the people who pour and serve the beer as for the ones who raise a glass to it. Cafés, pubs, and clubs across the country pay for that skill all year. Getting behind the bar as paid work means clearing the one legal requirement every licensed venue checks for.
A Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate takes one day of training and is recognised in pubs, restaurants, and clubs nationwide. With the hospitality bootcamp you can earn several job-ready certificates at once, widening the roles you can apply for. If you would rather be pouring the beers than only drinking them, one day of training gets you on the working side of the bar before the next one comes around.
FAQs
Do You Need an RSA to Serve Beer at a Private Party?
No. An RSA certificate is only needed for paid work in licensed venues, such as pubs, clubs, and bottle shops.
What Is the Difference Between an Ale and a Lager?
Ales ferment warm with yeast that rises to the top. Lagers ferment cold with yeast that sinks to the bottom. Almost every beer style is one or the other.
Is Dark Beer Stronger Than Light Beer?
No. A beer’s colour comes from how much the malt is roasted. A dark stout can be weaker than a pale lager.
