Press Release:

(Boulder, CO) – More than 1 million Americans participate in the homebrewing hobby, and on May 5, many of them will gather to brew two special beer recipes to recognize National Homebrew Day with Big Brew. In 1988, May 7th was announced before Congress as National Homebrew Day. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) created AHA Big Brew as an annual event to celebrate National Homebrew Day around the world. AHA Big Brew is held each year on the first Saturday in May.

For 11 years, homebrewers worldwide have celebrated Big Brew. Last year’s event saw more than 14,000 gallons of beer brewed at 308 different celebration sites, located in eight different countries. The local celebrations are tied together by shared recipes, chosen specifically for each year’s celebration.

This year, The American Homebrewers Association (AHA), which organizes Big Brew, selected two recipes that give a nod to the international nature of the celebration. Both beers are brown ales: one is the traditional Northern English variety, while the second is an American twist on the classic beer style.

“First and foremost, National Homebrew Day is a celebration,” explains AHA director Gary Glass, “which is why Big Brew was devised to unite homebrewers around a common recipe. In fact, it’s traditional for homebrewers worldwide to pause at noon CDT (USA) on Big Brew to participate in a simultaneous toast to homebrewing.”

Homebrewers who would like to register their Big Brew event online still have time to do so. Those looking to participate, learn the basics of the hobby or simply enjoy the camaraderie of homebrewing can find a local site to visit on Saturday.

The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 30,000 homebrewers. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) organizes events including the National Homebrewers Conference andNational Homebrew Competition. The AHA also publishes Zymurgy magazine. The AHA is part of the Brewers Association, whose Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com. Follow the AHA on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.