“Hold my beer” has become a catchphrase to signal that something important is about to go down. It implies that drinking a cold one is an everyday occurrence.
According to Alcohol.org, the saying is not wrong. Beer is the preferred alcoholic beverage around the world.
Today (Friday, August 7, 2026) we celebrate all those frothy brews on International Beer Day. Here’s some fun facts, statistics, and deals to help you mark the occasion.
A brief history of beer
Truth is, no one really knows who invented beer. It’s likely that it evolved over time with big ties to the Neolithic period.
Around 10,000 BC, hunter and gatherer tribes stopped roaming about and settled down into civilizations based on grain agriculture. All that farming was thirsty work.
The Sumerians of ancient Mesopotamia brewed barley beer. Historians know this because archeologists uncovered vessels with beer residue. There is also an 1800 BC hymn to the goddess of beer. During these times, beer was safer to drink than water.
Beer was also an important staple in the Babylonian Empire. A daily ration revealed who had the most standing in society. More beer equals more power.
In ancient Egypt, workers were paid in beer.
In the Middle Ages, hops were added to the recipe by artisans and Christian monks. The seeds for the craft beer movement and college fraternity parties were planted.
Some beer statistics
About 446 billion liters (118 billion gallons) of alcohol are consumed every year, according to alcohol.org. Of that, beer and cider account for around 400 billion liters.
The same trend can be seen when you look at the data for just the United States. About 46% of American alcohol consumption is beer. Compare that to 37% of spirits and only 17% of wine.
International Beer Day deals
Since we’ve established that beer is a big deal, let’s see where you can score some great deals:
- At Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar locations you can get $5 pints all day when you dine in.
- What’s better than beer? Beer and an activity. At Tee Time just outside Joplin, Missouri, you can play some top golf and get draft specials on the big day.
- Grab your friends and head to Mezcal Kitchen Mexican Restaurant & Bar in Jersey City, New Jersey. There you can split a $25 bucket of beer. Each bucket has five cold ones in it.
- Legacy Hall in Plano, Texas, is celebrating all week. From August 3 through August 7, you can browse food options and wash down whatever your stomach fancies with $1 Lockdown Draft or $5 Lockdown Draft Pitchers from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On August 8 and 9, you can order $10 Lockdown Draft Pitchers for some weekend fun.
- Last but not least, if you find yourself in Newport, Rhode Island, head over to the Brick Alley Pub. There you can find $5 house ales.
Wherever you celebrate, know you are in good company drinking a beer.