Happy National Beer Day: Iceland!
A similar time honored beer drinking tradition such as Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's. We have National Beer Day brought to you first by the Icelanders. The same holiday has been adapted by Germany (a.k.a Bavarian Beer Day, celebrated every April 23), United Kingdom (celebrated on April 6) and even America (April 7, Brew Year's Eve or New Beer's Eve is celebrated on April 6)
The icelanders seem to know know how it's done-last March 1st marked 25 years of legally drinking of the golden, frothy deliciousness called beer. Celebrating their win over the many years of being deprived of beer for more than 70 years.
National Beer Day: Iceland's struggle for Beer rights?
The story goes that beer had been banned in Iceland in the 1915's when the county voted in favor prohibition of all alcoholic beverages. During this time in Iceland, the Spanish traders refused to import Iceland's fish unless Iceland would buy their wine, so they had no choice. The year 1935 produced a referendum in favour of legalising spirits but alas, the ban was lifted to all drinks with alcohol content of less than 2.25% which didn't include strong Beer.
Finally on March 1, 1989, the ban was lifted by a 13 to 8 parliament vote which allowed beer to be sold in Iceland again. And from that day forward, March 1st had been marked as a monumental day for Icelanders and for beer-drinkers everywhere.
It's no surprise that Beer day has become so enomrous what with the Icelanders being one of the world's leading beer drinkers and one of the best brewers.
Every year they make big on the event (perhaps in an attempt to make up for lost time) where there are celebrations held at restaurants and pubs all around the country; with thousand of people going on pub crawls galore ('rúntur' or 'round tour'), a bar crawl around Rekjavik until the early hours where enormous amounts of beers of all kinds are consumed; from local brands Egil or Viking, to international favorites.
This is one event you have to be a part of. You know where you'll want to be next year. Till then Happy Beer day!
