Today is the first International Brewers Day. If you see a brewer today, remember to give him or her a hug. Or you could just buy him a beer or drink a toast to her honor, if that’s more your style. I’ve heard from people as far away and as far afield as New Zealand, Australia and Lithuania that are hosting IBD events today.

And hopefully, bloggers and beer writers will likewise take up the cause and write something today about a favorite brewer. If you haven’t already written me to tell me about your participation, please leave a comment here or send me an e-mail. Please give me the specific URL or address to your post about a brewer, or, if it’s event, give me the details (or even better send photos of the event and I’ll post them here).

As it happens, I’ll be away until Sunday but as soon as I get back I’ll start posting links, photos and information about how everybody’s been celebrating the first International Brewers Day.

Welcome to the official HQ webpage for International Brewers Day, a worldwide effort to create a holiday celebrating the contributions to society of the men and women who brew beer. The holiday is set to take place on July 18. On that day, there are several ways that you can participate. But to learn the idea behind this new holiday, why July 18 was chosen, along with the plan to observe it, tips on how to spread the word and even a number of banners, badges and buttons to use in promoting it on the web and/or for your brewer’s post, use the menu either at the left or above here on the buttons directly below the header.

I hope you’ll be convinced to join us in honoring brewers, the men and women who make the beer you love, with a holiday of their own, this and hopefully every July 18th.