National Beer Day: Celebrate Near Richfield

RICHFIELD, MN — National Beer Day, celebrated every year on April 7, is Wednesday. Breweries in the Richfield area could be good places to mark the day, which highlights one of the country’s most popular drinks.

Steel Toe Brewing (St. Louis Park) taproom and off sale hours are from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday

LTD Brewing Co. (Hopkins) taproom and off sale hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday

Boom Island Brewing taproom in Minnetonka is open Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Town Hall Station in Edina is open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. for takeout and dine-in Wednesday.

The LynLake Brewery taproom in south Minneapolis is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Wooden Hill Brewing in Edina is open for dine-in and takeout Wednesday.

Wild Mind Ales tasting room in Minneapolis is open from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Its pickup service is also available.

National Beer Day marks the anniversary of congressional passage in 1933 of the Cullen-Harrison Act, which eased Prohibition-era restrictions and permitted the manufacture of low-alcohol beer and wines. Nine months later, on Dec. 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition altogether.

In recent decades, craft beer has become the more popular choice for Americans. Craft breweries in the United States date back to the late 1970s, the first opening shortly after President Jimmy Carter signed legislation that made home-brewing legal in 1978.

Now, craft breweries are opening in communities across America. Small and independent brewing companies accounted for 40 of the top 50 top producing craft brewing companies in 2020 based on beer sales volume, according to the Brewers Association.

Summit Brewing in St. Paul, August Schell Brewing in New Ulm, Surly Brewing in Minneapolis, all cracked the top 50 breweries in the nation.

The year, forever linked with the start of the coronavirus pandemic, brought about a drastic change in where Americans purchase alcohol, Bart Watson, economist for the Brewers Association, said in a statement.

“Breweries who had established packaging and distribution capacity were best positioned to take advantage of the boom in off-premise sales and weather market uncertainty,” Watson said.

The D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc., a craft brewing company in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, found itself atop the Brewers Association 2020 list, followed by Boston Beer Co. and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico, California.

The Golden State accounts for one-fifth of the top 50 producing craft breweries, with 10 on the list. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts are also well-represented, with four apiece.

D.G. Yuengling ranked No. 7 in 2020 among all U.S. brewing companies, including non-craft beer makers. St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch came in atop that list.