by Tracey Parece

Created on: January 31, 2011   Last Updated: March 28, 2011

American Craft Beer Week is a week dedicated to celebrating American craft brewers and their beer.  It is the largest national effort to recognize American craft brewers and their product.  American Craft Beer Week is organized by the Brewers Association; and is observed across the country anywhere that quality craft beers are made, sold, or appreciated.

Events during American Craft Beer Week are planned by Brewers Association packaging or pub brewer members, and associate members of the Brewers Association.  One of the most popular events of American Craft Beer Week is the Declaration of Beer Independence, a document that can be read online or downloaded in PDF format or as a JPEG image on americancraftbeerweek.org.

In past years, scheduled events during American Craft Beer Week have included participation by no fewer than 341 official brewery locations which sponsored at least 621 official events.  In addition to the Declaration of Beer Independence, retailers are invited to participate by downloading posters, table tents, cooler tags, banners, and shelf talkers from the website.  These documents are all available at no cost to the retailers and are available in high definition format.

Retailers are also encouraged to post a copy of the Declaration of Beer Independence in their stores and invite customers to sign it.  Anyone can become a Facebook friend on American Craft Beer Week's Facebook page; retailers can link to americancraftbeerweek.org on their websites as well.  The Brewers Association makes it easier than ever for retailers to participate by providing helpful links and by allowing retailers to register their events online.

There are even offshoots of American Craft Beer Week with cities and towns like Cleveland, Austin, San Diego, Syracuse, and San Francisco scheduling their own local beer week celebrations separate from American Craft Beer Week.  Sacramento, Charlotte, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Boston, and Philadelphia have also gotten into the act with local celebrations.  There have even been state-specific beer week celebrations in Alabama, New York, Minnesota, and Colorado.

For retailers who want to participate, but don't know where to begin, americancraftbeerweek.org offers a variety of ideas ranging from throwing a new beer release party to offering tours of local breweries.  Other recommended activities include preparing and distributing press releases, organizing an event to benefit charity, offering classes in beer brewing, scheduling a festival, and hosting a beer dinner party.

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