A weather forecast with seven dry days in a row, temperatures breaking 70 degrees (finally), the sun still out after work and a high pollen count? It must be spring.
My fingers are crossed, and I’ve sent my swim trunks to the dry cleaners in anticipation. Is that weird? With the change in the season comes National Beer Day on Friday, April 7.
Every day of the year seems to have its own celebration, but this one has more history than most. April 7, 1933, was the day the Cullen-Harrison Act officially became law, leading to the repeal of prohibition in December 1933.
Shout-out to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. With the slash of his pen, for the first time in 13 years, it would be legal under the umbrella of the federal government to sell beer and wine with an ABV of 3.2% or less. Of course, it was presumed that the level of alcohol wouldn’t be enough to get anyone good and drunk. I bet more than a few said, “Challenge accepted!”
States still had to pass their own beverage laws to allow for the sale of alcohol within their borders, leading to the various regulations we still encounter from state to state. So look out for National Beer Day specials at your favorite local breweries.
Cheers! Tidbits
— In my home state of Wisconsin, we knew spring was near when the local brewery hosted Bockfest, an annual beer festival where they’d release the seasonal Maibock lagers and throw fish at us from the roof of the brewery. Traditions are funny. At least they are until a fishtail slaps you in the face. That is still funny.
Maibocks are German-style lagers often pale in color, feature a malty lager flavor, and lean toward the more robust end. It isn’t uncommon to see a 7%-7.5% ABV on the label. German (and Wisconsin) springs still carry the threat of chilly weather. Of course, it helps to have a little extra oomph in the bottle. Shout-out to Eppig Brewery, whose Point Loma Waterfront Biergarten has turned 5!
— As first reported by Brandon Hernandez (San Diego Beer News), our local brewing community shined at the third Brewers Cup of California. Kilowatt Brewing and Societe Brewing each won four medals, tying for the most by San Diego breweries.
In addition, North County’s Eppig Brewing, Rouleur Brewing, Gravity Heights Brewing, Black Plague Brewing, Double Peak Brewing, Pizza Port (Carlsbad), Arcana Brewing and Pure Project (Carlsbad) all made it to the winner’s podium. See the complete list on www.brewerscupofca.com.
— On April 9, The Cottage in Encinitas will host an Easter brunch and, more importantly, a mini-egg hunt. This is a family-friendly event and has nothing to do with this Cheers! column, other than it made me dream of a world in which I might find oversized chocolate eggs lying around that hide a can of fine beer inside. I challenge the breweries of San Diego’s North County to make this happen in 2024.
— I don’t know if I should be excited or nervous about the following news. Harland Brewing Company just released a limited supply of craft beer 40s. You can stop by their tasting rooms — including One Paseo — to get a 40-ounce bottle of their Hazy IPA, India Pale Ale, Japanese Lager and Rumbler. Follow @harlandbeer on Instagram for updates.
Event Reminder: Pure Project’s Frühlingsfest, the Oktoberfest of springtime, returns Friday, April 21, with Stein fills, German food offerings, “… and more.” I’m looking forward to discovering the “and more”! Frühlingsfest lasts until May 7— details on purebrewing.com.
Stream the classic episodes of the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast on the Coast News Podcast page, and follow Cheers! North County on Facebook and Instagram.
