10 ways to celebrate National Beer Day
National Beer Day isn't just another random day on the calendar. It marks a significant event in the history of beer.
On April 7, 1933, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a law once again allowing people to brew and sell beer, the first step toward ending Prohibition.
Don DiFrisco, owner of the soon-to-open Hell N Blazes Brewing Co. in downtown Melbourne, isn't just a businessman. He's a history buff. For almost a year, he and his Hell N Blazes team have been painstakingly renovating a 100-plus-year-old building. As they've worked, they have peeled back the years, with DiFrisco doing as much research as possible to learn about the evolution of the building and the city around it.
So when asked about National Beer Day, he did his research. And since he's so knowledgeable, his suggestion kicks off our list of 10 ways to celebrate National Beer Day on Thursday.
Just remember: Enjoy National Beer Day responsibly. If you plan to over-enjoy, arrange to have a designated driver.
'Hell 'N Blazes' brewery slated for downtown Melbourne
1. Support your local craft brewery. Before Prohibition began in 1920, there were craft breweries across the nation, DiFrisco says.
"Prohibition is what killed the craft brewing industry. It killed all but the largest breweries."
It's taken more than 80 years, but the craft brewing industry is definitely on the rebound. In addition to Hell N Blazes, which is slated to open in late May or early June, local breweries include:
- Charlie & Jakes in Suntree
- Intracoastal Brewing Company in Eau Gallie
- Playalinda Brewing Company in Titusville
- Bugnutty Brewing Company on Merritt Island
- Florida Beer Company in Cape Canaveral
- Cocoa Beach Brewing Company in Cocoa Beach
- Pareidolia Brewing Company in Sebastian.
And that's not all. Dirty Oar Brewery is scheduled to open in Cocoa Village in the next few months, and Brevard Ale Works is coming soon to Rockledge.
"Patronize the craft breweries in your area," DiFrisco says.
Running for Brews brings people together for fit fun
2. Bake some bread. Like a little carbs with your carbs? Baking homemade bread doesn't get much easier than this.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of self-rising flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar and one 12-ounce can or bottle of beer. (11 ounces will work, too, if you can't resist taking a swallow to get you through the baking process.) Mix the ingredients together, then knead the dough for 2-3 minutes. Don't worry about getting it completely smooth. This makes a rustic, crusty bread. But you do want it to form a nice, cohesive mound of dough that you can shape into a loaf.
Melt a stick of butter, and pour it into a loaf pan. Carefully swish the butter around in the pan until the bottom and an inch or so of the sides are coated with butter. Transfer the dough to the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until the bread is brown and crusty on top.
Let the bread sit for 2-3 minutes before removing it from the pan. That will give it time to soak up any excess butter. Otherwise, you'll dump out the butter when you tip the pan to remove the bread. Not only is that a waste of butter, it's also a burn hazard.
Slice, and enjoy.
3. Go for a litter walk. We live in a beautiful place, with lots of ocean- and riverfront walking areas. Unfortunately, not everyone is as appreciative of our environment as they should be. While Keep Brevard Beautiful hosts regular cleanup events (check out their website at keepbrevardbeautiful.org to find out when and where), you don't have to wait for an organized event to do your part. Go for an evening stroll and take a trash bag along with you. When you get home, reward your effort with a beer.
4. Go for a run. Join a fun run on Thursday, and burn off those National Beer Day calories before you even consume them. Long Doggers in Viera (1970 Viera Blvd.) and the Running Zone in Melbourne (3696 N. Wickham Road) both host fun runs on Thursdays. Running Zone starts at 6 p.m. Long Doggers' Running for Brews starts at 7 p.m. When you get finished, reward your effort with — what else? — a beer. For more information about area fun runs, visit spacecoastrunners.org.
5. Make a (root)beer float. Several breweries have started putting the "beer" back into root beer. You can now find hard rootbeer at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Total Wine, World Market, Publix and other retail outlets. Yes, it tastes just like the root beer you remember from childhood. Only this stuff contains alcohol. Buy a six-pack of the hard stuff for the adults in your household, and a six-pack of the soft stuff for the under-21 crowd. That way everyone can celebrate National Beer Day together, with a scoop of ice cream to boot.
6. Float with a beer. If you're lucky enough to have a backyard pool, take advantage. What better way to relax after a long day at work than riding on gentle ripples of water while sipping an ice-cold beverage? OK, so it may still be a tad chilly for pool floating, but you can always postpone your celebration for a week or two until things heat up around here.
7. Take flight.
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Not sure what beer to order on National Beer Day? Several beer-intensive watering holes in the area offer flights of beer that let customers try tastes of different brews. Ask for a flight at places like World of Beer at the Avenue Viera and Village Idiot Pub on Harrison Street in Cocoa Village. It's a great way to find your next favorite beer.
8. Wash your hair. Reviews on this are mixed, but some beauty and fashion websites say rinsing your hair with beer will make it softer, healthier and shinier. Something about the proteins in the beer bonding with the follicles of your hair. Pour beer over just-washed hair, let it sit for a couple of minutes and rinse.
Others say this technique is all foam and no beer. It makes sense that the alcohol in beer would act as a clarifying agent, cutting through oil and product build-up in your hair to leave it shiny. But should you decide to try a beer rinse, here are a couple of caveats:
- This isn't an every day treatment, as alcohol can dry out your hair.
- A beer rinse could leave your hair smelling like a frat party. One beauty expert recommends mixing a little apple cider vinegar into the beer to cut the smell.
9. Plan your weekend. National Beer Day falls on a Thursday. Sure, that's the unofficial start of the weekend for the under-30 crowd, but if you've got a job and have to get up early Friday, it might be difficult to properly enjoy a full-on beer celebration on a weeknight. Don't let that stop you from making plans for Friday and Saturday. Former Space Coast radio personality Lisa Moldovan recommends a "one and done" approach. Pick a few places places you've been meaning to visit, enlist a designated driver and map out a route. Stop at each place for one beer, then head on to the next.
10. Celebrate something else. Not a fan of beer? Grab a cup of coffee, a hunk of cake and let the laundry sit until Friday. According to nationaldaycalendar.com, April 7 is also National Coffee Cake Day, National No Housework Day and National (gulp) Alcohol Screening Day.
Contact Leonard at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Follow her on Facebook /suzyflemingleonard, on Instagram @suzyleonard and on Twitter @suzyleonard.