Sunday, November 29th is the second annual Small Brewery Sunday
So exactly what is Small Brewery Sunday? From sea to shining sea, it’s a day to show support for your local, beloved, independent beer manufacturer. I suppose it’s a riff on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday but geared specifically for us beer lovers.
Of course, because of the pandemic, this year the celebration will include all of the public health and safety guidelines. COVID be damned, the Sunday following Thanksgiving is Small Brewery Sunday.
Sunday is as Sunday Does
It has been said that one of the best things about craft breweries and their tasting rooms is that it validates, or legitimizes, day-drinking. I mean, a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is the best time to visit a craft brewery, right? We aren’t really day-drinkers so much as we are hobbyists, enthusiasts, or weekend warriors.
So in that regard, I suppose many of us consider every Sunday to be Small Brewery Sunday. Still, it’s good that the Brewers Association, which created the holiday, is spearheading the effort to give this one particular Sunday special attention.
The Official Announcement From the Brewers Association
What: Small Brewery Sunday will return for a second year on Nov. 29. The national beer holiday, created by the Brewers Association (BA) – the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers. The BA encourages beer lovers to celebrate the big impact of small breweries on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and to support local breweries, brewpubs, and taprooms throughout the holiday season and beyond.
When: Sunday, November 29
Where: Beer lovers can visit their local brewery, taproom, or brewpub, or opt for curbside pickup or at-home delivery, location and restrictions dependent. To locate a small and independent brewery visit SmallBrewerySunday.com.
Why: Small and independent craft breweries are critical to local communities and economies nationwide. More than two-thirds of Americans live within 10 miles of a brewery. In 2019 the craft brewing industry contributed $82.9 billion to the U.S. economy and employed more than 580,000 Americans. A recent survey of Brewers Association members, however, found that amid the global pandemic craft beer sales are down 22% in the third quarter of 2020. Only 78% of small breweries are confident that they’ll still be open in 12 months. The survey also reported that approximately two-thirds of at-the-brewery sales during the third quarter of the year occurred outdoors, indicating that winter will be the make it or break it season as colder temperatures arrive and service moves indoors.
Who: Beer lovers across America of legal drinking age.